Social welfare interventions

The Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram has announced two major interventions for the vulnerable sections of our society in the General Budget 2008-09. Every worker in the unorganized sector of the country falling under the BPL category will be provided a health cover of Rs. 30,000 under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. He announced that most of the States have agreed to join the Yojana and it will be launched in Delhi and in the States of Haryana and Rajasthan on April 1, 2008. The Government proposed to provide Rs. 205 crore as the Centre’s share of the premia in 2008-09.

The other major initiative is for the elderly. The Finance Minister said, a National Programme for the Elderly with a Plan outlay of Rs. 400 crore will be started in 2008-09. Besides, during the Eleventh Plan period, two National Institutes of Ageing, eight regional centres and a department for geriatric medical care in one medical college/tertiary level hospital in each State will also be established.