Now, Beedi Workers to Get Health Insurance Benefits

Indian government's health insurance scheme for poor is being extended to cover the beneficiaries of the flagship rural job guarantee scheme and beedi workers, the Economic Survey said.

The survey, tabled by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha, said that there has been an increase in public health investment in the country.

"The Rasthriya Swasthaya Bima Yojana (RSBY) is being extended to cover Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) beneficiaries and beedi workers," said the survey.

The central government sponsored health insurance scheme is for the below poverty line (BPL) families in the unorganized sector. It was launched in 2007.

"In addition to increasing resource allocation for the health sector, the government is also playing a critical role in facilitating access to health care delivery channels, public and private through subsidized health, insurance schemes like the RSBY for providing basic health care to poor and marginal workers," it said.