Minister for Co-operation H.S. Mahadeva Prasad on Sunday said the Yeshasvini Health Insurance Scheme would be extended to members of cooperative bodies in urban areas from next year.
Mr. Prasad told presspersons here that the State government had taken a decision on the issue. Enrolment under the scheme for members of the cooperative bodies in urban areas would begin in February next and conclude in June. There are about 40 lakh members in cooperative bodies in urban areas of the State, he added.
He said the annual premium for enrolment under the scheme for members of urban cooperatives would be more than the premium fixed for farmers and their dependents who are members in cooperatives in rural areas. Under the scheme, treatment could be availed of in about 500 empanelled hospitals for over 500 ailments.
Renewal of membership and fresh enrolment under the scheme concluded on November 15. The number of beneficiaries under the scheme touched nearly 40 lakh this year from 20 lakh in the previous year.
Mr. Prasad said short-term loans amounting to Rs. 8,000 crore had been disbursed so far to farmers this year. The government had set the target of disbursing Rs. 12,000 crore as loan to farmers this year. The target was Rs. 6,000 crore last year, he said.
The valedictory of the Akhila Bharata Sahakara Saptaha will be held at Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district on November 20.
Apart from Mr. Mahadeva Prasad, Minister for Revenue V. Srinivas Prasad, Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Housing M.H. Ambareesh, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra, Karnataka State Cooperative Federation Ltd. chairman and MLA G.T. Deve Gowda would participate. More than 15,000 members of cooperative institutions in Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts would participate in the programme, the Minister said.
