National Health Insurance scheme for domestic workers cleared
The scheme, which is expected to cover approximately 47.50 lakh domestic workers, envisages smart card based cashless health insurance cover upto Rs 30,000 in any empanelled hospital anywhere in the country.
The funds will be allocated from the National Social Security Fund for Unorganised Workers. The premium will be shared by the Central and State Governments in the ratio of 75:25.
In case of states in NE Region and Jammu and Kashmir, the ratio is 90:10.
The estimated expenditure to be borne by the Central Government is as follows: 2011-12(29.70 Cr), 2012-13(74.25 Cr), 2013-14(148.50 Cr), 2014-15 (297.00 Cr).
Domestic work forms one of the largest sectors of female employment in the urban areas. They are unorganized and the sector remains unregulated and unprotected by labour laws.
These workers come from vulnerable communities and backward areas.
Most of these are poor, vulnerable, illiterate, unskilled and do not understand the urban labour market.
The RSBY, which provides for smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs.30,000 per annum to BPL workers (a unit of five) in unorganised sector, is presently being implemented in 25 States/UTs.
More than 2.34 crore smart cards had been issued as on May 5 this year.
The scheme has since been extended to building and other construction workers registered with Welfare Boards constituted under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, street vendors, beedi workers and such MNREGA workers who have worked for more than 15 days during the preceding year. (UNI -Posted on / )
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