Kamat moots insurance scheme for Goa’s entire population

PANAJI - Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Thursday proposed an insurance scheme which will cover the entire population of Goa to the extent of Rs.60,000 per head annually.

Kamat, also the finance minister, in his budget speech in the Goa legislative assembly said that the ‘Swarnajayanti Aarogya Bima’ scheme would cover the 14 lakh odd population of the state on the lines of a similar central government health insurance scheme for below the poverty line (BPL) families.

“In the proposed scheme, each insured shall get a medical insurance cover of up to Rs.60,000 during the year,” Kamat said, adding that universal insurance cover to all Goan residents, would strengthen the state’s social security net.

Kamat also proposed an accident insurance scheme which would cover every person to the tune of Rs.2 lakh in case of loss of life, Rs.1.5 lakh in case of permanent disability, and Rs.1 lakh in case of partial disability.

Kamat said that Rs.5 crore was allocated in the 2010-11 budget for the purpose.

– Indo Asian News Service