Odisha to extend RSBY to MGNREGA workers and other labourers

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government today said it has decided to include MGNREGA beneficiaries and unorganised sector workers under the Rastriya Swastha Bima Yojana (RSBY).

"Besides the families living below the poverty line (BPL), the government has decided to extend the RSBY to MGNREGA workers, registered building and construction workers," Labour and employees' state insurance minister Bijayshree Routray said replying to a debate in the Assembly on the alleged failure of the RSBY in the state.

"I admit certain lacuna. But, it is wrong to say that the RSBY failed in the state," the minister said.

Under the scheme, the minister said, a family having a BPL card was entitled to get treatment of upto Rs 30,000 per annum by securing a smart card at the cost of only Rs 30. At least five persons of a family could avail of the benefit.

He said besides 33 lakh BPL families, the government has targeted to extend the facility to 52 lakh families which included beneficiaries of MGNREGA and labourers working in unorganised sector.

The state has brought 420 government hospital and 75 private hospital under the scheme for providing treatment to the smart card holders.

Participating in the debate, Congress member S S Saluja and Anup Sai alleged that the scheme was not implemented properly depriving lakhs of poor people from getting health insurance.