Govt, ICICI Lombard partner to provide health cover to BPL people

New Delhi, Mar 26 (UNI) The government has tied up with ICICI Lombard General Insurance to introduce 'Niramaya', a health insurance scheme for welfare of Below Poverty Line (BPL) persons.

As a part of the pilot project, the health cover will be against diseases like autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities in ten selected districts across the country.

General insurance to provide health insurance to a maximum of one lakh BPL persons, especially the disabled, in ten districts of Central Delhi, Chandigarh, Jabalpur, Kaimur (Bihar), Agarthala, Raebareily, Erode (Tamil Nadu), Ernakulam (Kerala), Ahemdabad and Bhageshwar (Uttarakhand).

The Niramaya policy, which will be issued to individuals on a named basis, will have sum insured per person up to Rs 1,00,000.

The insurance premium of Rs 99, excluding service tax, would be funded by National Trust, which is under of Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.

Minister of State for Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar distributed photo ID cards to the first 20 specially-abled people today, amid a well-attended function, said a release.

ICICI Lombard is a 74:26 joint venture between ICICI Bank Ltd, country's second largest bank and Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd, a Canada based 26 billion dollars diversified financial services company engaged in general insurance, reinsurance, insurance claims management and investment management.

UNI MP SR RK2135