Social Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana on Friday admitted that the objectives of Health, Personal Accident Insurance Scheme have not been achieved.
In his reply to a question raised by TRS MLA A Rajender and CPM’s Ranga Reddy during teh Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly, the minister said that the scheme was not economically viable. The total premium paid to the company during the year 2009-10 was Rs 80,33,740 and the insurance claimed was Rs 2,86,678 only. Giving district-wise break-up of claims of scheme during 2009-10 he said four claims each were made in Vizianagaram and East Godavari, three claims in Visakhapatnam, two each in West Godavari, Krishna, Nellore, Chittor and Adilabad and one claim in Khammam district.
The minister said that the scheme was not being extended to the students of the Welfare Hospital in the State. He also informed that all Social Welfare hostel boarders were covered under Arogyasri along with their family members.
Satyanarayana said that the Joint Directors and Deputy Directors (SW) of the State were instructed to take personal care about the sick boarders and see that if required necessary medical aid is provided to them immediately. Permission was also given to sanction an amountof Rs 5,000 by the by the Deputy Directors at the District level for treatment of serious ailments from the available budget.
In all serious cases, instructed were given to refer the students to the District Hospitals, SVIMS, NIMS, Osmania Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and other approved hospitals for better treatment. An amount of Rs 25.37 lakh is released to the districts towards medical expenses of hostel boarders during the year 2012-13, the minister said. (INN)