An Exclusive Health Insurance Cover to be Launched for Urban co-op Members

Around 800 diseases would be covered under the scheme.

The State government will soon introduce the Yashaswini health insurance scheme for members of urban cooperative societies, probably by May 27.

As per Co-operation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad, the government has earmarked Rs 1,010 as premium amount per year per individual. The premium amount for SC/STs is Rs 810 per year per individual. Currently, the scheme is applicable only for rural cooperative societies, where beneficiaries are charged Rs 210 as premium per individual.

Around 800 diseases are covered under the scheme. One can also claim their insurance for consultation and medical diagnosis under the scheme. There are close to 70 lakh members in various urban cooperative societies in the State. The scheme is set to launch Bangalore.

The premium rates for urban cooperative societies are comparatively high as People in urban areas visit hospitals more often than those in rural areas.

The government is in fact going to launch another scheme by the name of Priyadarshini, it will offer financial assistance for setting up new women’s co-operative societies in the State. The government will contribute the share amount for one to become a member, besides providing mandatory financial assistance to operate the societies.

The Co-operation department has dispersed short-term crop loans to the tune of Rs 7,559 crore at zero per cent interest to around 21,09,515 farmers in the 2013-14 financial year.

This is about Rs 1,500 crore more than last year’s disbursement. From this financial year, crop loan would go up by Rs 3 lakh and would be given to small farmers at zero per cent interest.