Medisep, the cashless health insurance scheme for State government employees and pensioners will finally take off to a start on July 1, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has said.
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Speaking at a seminar on the Central-State Economic Relations organised as part of the Kerala Gazetted Officers' Association (KGOA) State Conference, the Minister said the financial crunch experienced by the State would not come in the way of its implementation.
“This State government is taking steps to ensure the welfare of its employees and this scheme will help provide assistance to them directly,’‘ he said.
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As to the Center-State relations, Mr. Balagopal acknowledged the criticisms over the State government being passive to the unilateral changes in tax rates effected by the Union government. “But the stance of this government is that the benefit of tax cuts should be passed on to the public but instead, it is the corporate sector that often stands to benefit the most,” he noted.
To back the point, he also pointed to a recent study by the state government on 25 items that had found that the common man never got the benefit of reduction in tax rates.
Meanwhile, the association adopted a resolution in support of the various projects initiated by the State government including K-Phone, K-Rail, Hill-Coastal Highway and National Waterway. Holding that these projects can play a vital role in the overall development of the State, it also criticised the opposition parties and a section of the media for turning their back on these proposals.
The resolution, presented by the KGOA secretary P.S. Priyadarshan, also called for intensifying the door step service delivery programme by the State government.
Senior CPI(M) leader Vaikom Viswan inaugurated the valedictory session of the event. KGOA president M.A. Nasar presided over.