Narendra Modi government to club three social security schemes

NEW DELHI: The new Narendra Modi government is proposing a major revamp of social security framework by converging three key schemes spread across three different ministries.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment plans to launch a pilot in 20 districts from January 1, 2015 to enable unorganised workers to avail benefits of the Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana ( RSBY), Aam Aadmi Bima Yojan ( AABY) and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme ( IGNOAPS) via one single smart card.

The pilot project would be funded from the National Social Security Fund.

According to the guidelines issued by the ministry on Thursday, government will soon notify nodal officers at national, state and district level for co-ordination of work among various departments and ministries.

Besides, the government will also come out with a grievance redressal system with clear and defined time frames so that beneficiaries under the scheme have a single point of query and complaints.

The idea is to cut down duplication of work leading to inefficiency in implementation of the scheme besides making it easier for the government to track the coverage of the scheme and monitor its benefits to the unorganised workers, who constitute about 93% of the total work force in the country.

Besides, with the introduction of single smart card and a single point of contact at village panchayat or ward level, the beneficiaries will no longer have to go at three different locations to get themselves registered, avail benefits or register their complaints.

RSBY, which is under the ministry of labour and employment, provides health and maternity cover, AABY under ministry of finance provides life and disability cover while IGNOAPS under the ministry of rural development provides for old age protection.

Under RSBY, launched in 2008, below poverty line (BPL) families are entitled to hospitalisation coverage up to Rs 30,000 for five members of the family on floater basis.

As of now nearly 11 crore people are entitled for benefits under the scheme. Under AABY, which was launched in 2007, death and permanent disability benefits amounting to Rs 30,000 and Rs 75,000 are given to rural landless households in lieu of the insurance of the head of the family of its earning member.

The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme provides monthly assistance of Rs 200 and Rs 500 people above 60 years and 80 years respectively and belonging to below poverty line families.