Tamil Nadu   

Chidambaram urges weavers to utilise insurance schemes

Staff Reporter

Says the Government will pay the premium on their behalf

KARAIKUDI: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has called upon weavers to utilise the comprehensive health insurance and Mahatma Gandhi Beema Yojana insurance schemes.

Launching the schemes at a function organised by the State Government's Department of Handlooms on Saturday, he said weavers could gain the benefits of the schemes without any cost, as the State and Central Governments would pay the weavers' share of premium to the companies.

Mr. Chidambaram said each weaver would have to Rs.330 in insurance premium under the Mahatma Gandhi Beema Yojana a year. However, the Centre and the Life Insurance Corporation of India would pay Rs.150 and Rs.100 out of Rs.330 respectively on behalf of the weavers. The State Government agreed to pay Rs.80.

Under the scheme, the kin of beneficiaries were eligible to get Rs.50,000 in case of natural death and Rs.80,000 for accidental death. Similarly, Rs.50,000 and Rs.25,000 would be paid for total disability and partial disability.

Mr. Chidambaram said the annual premium for comprehensive health insurance for weaver was Rs.1,000.

The Centre would contribute Rs.800. The State Government paid Rs.2.60 crore as the premium share of 1.30 lakh weavers. The family members of policyholders would be eligible for treatment up to Rs.15, 000. The ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company would pay directly to the hospital concerned.

These benefits should reach all the weavers; more unorganised weavers should be brought under the organised cooperative societies.Minister for Handlooms N.K.K.P. Raja said all the weavers in Tamil Nadu would be enrolled in the scheme.

K.R. Periakaruppan, Minister for HR&CE, said the insurance scheme was possible because of a Centre-friendly Government in Tamil Nadu. C.P. Singh, Secretary, Handlooms; R.N. Chowbey, Managing Director, Co-optex; T.S. Vijayan, Chairman, Life Insurance Corporation of India; K. Bharathan, Chairman, ICICI Lombard; and N. Sundaram, MLA, Karaikudi, spoke.

Earlier, Mr. Chidambaram inaugurated a gold loan scheme for goldsmiths at a separate function.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Tsunami relief: legislation planned for land acquisition
New lens implant restores vision by 30 to 40 per cent
Tamil Nadu factor "vital": Nakandala
Call to improve safety standards in industry
20 per cent of petroleum products sold `is adulterated'
S. Balakrishnan dead
Jayalalithaa condemns disinvestment plan
Where children cook food, run houses and yet go to school
Minister to study working condition in textile units
Chidambaram urges weavers to utilise insurance schemes
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu