New Delhi, February 23
Keeping its commitment to provide social security to all segments of working communities, the government today announced to make health insurance scheme mandatory for unorganised sector from April 1.
Addressing a seminar on Knowledge of Pension and Retirement Schemes, organised by Assocham, union labour and employment secretary Sudha Pillai said the scheme would cover 1.6 crore workers of the unorganised sector. In subsequent years, nearly 6 crore workers would be covered, she added.
Under the scheme, the workers will get their family covered and will be given smart cards by various fund managers in public and private sectors on payment of Rs 30.
These provisions had already been incorporated, particularly for the unorganised sectors, in the Pension Reform Bill, which was likely to sail through in the Budget Session of Parliament, Pillai said in a statement.
Due to the dangers involved in the nature of their jobs, workers engaged in mining, iron and ore
sectors, beedi making and rickshaw pulling would also be protected under various social security schemes, on which the government was working out, she added.
— UNI
