From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 16: Enrolment of members of urban cooperatives under the State Government’s ambitious Yeshasvini Health Insurance Scheme will commence from February 2014.
Announcing the State Government’s decision, Karnataka’s Cooperation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad said enrolment will commence to all members of cooperative societies in urban areas too.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Monday, the minister said members can avail health check up and treatment under the scheme from July next year and expenditure would be limited up to Rs 2 lakh.
The premium per year would be around Rs 1200.
Prasad said enrolment under the scheme for members of the cooperative bodies in urban areas would begin in February next and conclude in June.
It is evident that the Siddaramaiah ministry, which has implemented the Anna Bhagya scheme for distribution of rice to BPL families at Re 1 per kg upto 30 kgs per family soon after coming to power and later announced the Shadi Bhagya scheme to provide cash assistance of Rs 50,000 to eligible girls of minority communities, is going all out to woo the urban people too by announcing the extension of the
Yeshaswini health insurance scheme to members of cooperative societies.
It is, however, doubtful whether the extension of the Yeshaswini scheme from July after the completion of the enrolment from February to June, 2014, will benefit the ruling Congress party in the lok sabha polls.
There were about 40 lakh members in cooperative bodies in urban areas of the State.
Treatment could be availed of in empanelled hospitals for over 500 ailments, the minister explained.
The health scheme was being implemented only by rural cooperative societies to their members so far.
A decision has been taken to simplify rules under the Karnataka Housing Cooperative Societies Act to avoid delay in the acquisition lands and allotment of sites for eligible members.
The minister said officials of the Department have submitted a report after studying various laws of housing cooperative societies in neighbouring states.
Based on the recommendations, the Act would be amended suitably, he said.
There were as many as 500 housing cooperatives societies in the State, including 300 are located in Bangalore alone, he said.
Cooperatives have released crop loans amounting Rs 4814 crore to farmers till November end against the target of Rs 6900 crore for the year (2013-14).