Insurance Scheme for Handicraft Weavers

Shimla, May 23 (UNI) Himachal Government was implementing 'Handicraft Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme' aimed at providing insurance cover with enhanced insurance benefits, besides, better health facilities to handicraft weavers, a spokesman of the State Government said here today.

He said that two components of the scheme were Health Insurance Scheme and Mahatma Gandhi Weavers Insurance Scheme.

The Spokesman said that the main objective of Health Insurance Scheme was to make the weaver community economically self-reliant, besides, providing them better medical facilities.

He said that the scheme would also cover wife and two children, at the Rs 69.56 annual premium. The annual limit of availing medical assistance under the scheme would be Rs. 15,000 per family.

He said that those weavers who have atleast 50 per cent income from handicraft weaving were eligible for the scheme.

The scheme would be implemented through ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd.

Under the Mahatma Gandhi Weavers Insurance Scheme, enhanced insurance cover and medical insurance would be provided to weavers not only in case of natural death but also during death by accident, complete or partial disability.

He said that those male and female weavers who have an income of atleast 50 per cent from handicraft weaving and were between 18 to 59 years of age were eligible for the scheme.

He said that the beneficiaries of the scheme, implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), have to deposit annual premium of Rs 80.

The LIC would provide Rs. 60,000 in case of natural death, Rs 1,50,000 in case of death by accident and complete disability and Rs 75,000 in case of partial disability to weavers covered under the scheme.

A provision of providing scholarship to the children of the guardians was also included in the scheme, he added.

UNI XC JN BP1835