SIKKIM: Sikkim offers free insurance

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Gangtok, June 11: The Sikkim cabinet has approved the Universal Financial Inclusion Project that will bring people under a state-sponsored health, property and accident insurance.

After the cabinet nod to the project yesterday, the press adviser to the chief minister, Bhim Dahal, said here today that one lakh families — half of them are above poverty level (APL) —would be included in the scheme in the first phase.

“APL families will be benefited by a health insurance scheme with a cover of up to Rs 30,000 per year. The number of BPL families to be covered under the scheme is 21,618,” said Dahal.

He added that over 94,000 BPL people would have additional insurance coverage of up to Rs 1 lakh per annum in case of accidents, disabilities and damage to houses.

The government will also open bank accounts for over one lakh people to pay old age pension, disability pension, rural housing grants and wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

The press adviser added that a monthly pension of Rs 500 would be given to widows.

The government also announced separate reservations for those belonging to the Bhutia and Lepcha communities. They will now be getting a 22 per cent reservation in higher studies, jobs and urban and rural bodies.

Dahal said the cabinet had also revised the dearness allowance for state government employees from the existing 54 per cent to 64 per cent with retrospective effect from January 1 this year.

The spokesperson said the government would open a paramedical centre and a training centre for ground and air crew for civil aviation.