Patna, Sep 13 (IANS): Licenses of eight private nursing homes were cancelled in Bihar's Samastipur district for unnecessary removal of uteruses of hundreds of poor women to claim insurance money under a central government scheme, officials said Thursday.

"The district administration cancelled the licenses of eight private nursing homes following the order of district magistrate Kundan Kumar," an official said.

Uteruses of over 16,000 women living below poverty line were removed across the state to claim Rs.30,000 insurance money per patient. Private hospitals claimed up to Rs.12 crore under the scheme in one year in Samastipur district alone.

Cancellation of licences is the first action against private nursing homes in the state in connection with unnecessary removal uteruses of the poor women.

Earlier, the district magistrate had ordered a probe into incidents of uterus removal in the district.

Most of the uteruses were removed to claim the insurance money under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, a central government scheme, an official said.

Early this month, the Bihar State Human Rights Commission issued notice to private hospitals and nursing homes.

The official said the commission has taken serious note of the issue and told the hospitals and nursing homes to reply to the notice soon.

A state legislature committee, which is probing the removal of uteruses of over 16,000 women living below poverty line, will start meeting the victims from September.

The committee has directed district magistrates to provide it detailed information about the private hospitals and nursing homes and the list of victims.

Opposition leaders have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the issue.