BEEDI WORKERS TO GET MEDICAL INSURANCE BENEFITS

Beedi workers to get

Medical insurance benefits

        About 55 lakh beedi workers will soon get medical insurance benefits under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) by 2013-14 under a proposal approved by the Union Cabinet Thursday,9^th June,2011. A meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to extend the insurance cover to the beedi workers spread across the country, with the government spending an estimated Rs 311.25 crore on it. "It is proposed to cover ten lakh beedi workers in the current financial year and 100 per cent of the total beedi workers by 2013-14", Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters here. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni described the decision as "a significant and important agenda of the UPA government".

    Under the scheme, the worker and his family of five would benefit with a medical insurance cover of Rs 30,000. Any claim beyond this amount would be reimbursed directly by the Welfare Commissioner to the concerned hospital through existing procedures, Kharge said. Smart cards would be issued for availing benefits under the scheme, he said, adding that all beedi workers would be brought under the net of the RSBY to get cashless benefits in any of the ESI or empanelled hospital throughout the country. Kharge said the beedi worker would have to contribute Rs 30 towards a smart card. The annual premium is estimated to be Rs 750 per annum, of which 75 per cent would be the share of the Centre and the remaining of the states.

       An estimated 55 lakh beedi workers are spread across several states, primarily West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Observing that state governments would identify the beedi workers, Kharge said the Centre would also write to the Chief Ministers to take steps to identify them so that they can be brought under the scheme. So far 49.80 lakh beedi workers have been provided with identity cards. At present, the health needs of these beedi workers are being met through 204 dispensaries and only seven hospitals. The beedi industry is primarily a home-based labour intensive industry.
The Beedi Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1976 has been enacted to provide for financing of measures to promote the welfare of beedi workers. Several welfare schemes have been formulated under the Beedi Workers Welfare Fund to extend health care, housing, educational and social security benefits to them and their family members.

                                                                            Prof. John Kurakar