AP CM holds meeting to issue medical insurance for BPL, poor

Hyderabad, Nov 15 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today held a meeting with Health Minister K Rosaiah and insurance companies to issue medical insurance for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to finalise an insurance scheme in consultation with all departments concerned and the insurance companies and ensure that it would be launched by January 2007 for the BPL families.

An amount of Rs 20 crore was allocated towards health insurance for poorer sections in 2006-07. Mounting medial expenses were identified as one of the causes leading to rural indebtedness in the state. The Centre had launched National Rural Heath Mission to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to the rural population.

The Chief Minister's aim was to provide medical insurance cover to all families of BPL in the state who were holding white card.

The government was contemplating a public private partnership mode for the scheme. The state government was also studying the 'Yashswini' scheme of the Karnataka government which was under implementation and was trying to evolve a better scheme for the benefit of the BPL families here.

The Chief Minister said the next meeting on the medical insurance for the BPL families and poor people would be held on December 17.

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