Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet today approved to introduce the insurance scheme known as “Social Security Scheme for Business community” in the state. A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in Punjab Bhawan this evening.
Giving the details, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that this scheme would cover as many as 1,86,543 dealers/ businessmen, who have a turnover up to Rs 1 crore. However the businessmen, who were covered under any other social security scheme of Punjabwould not be eligible for this scheme. Under this scheme, three insurance covers would be extended to the beneficiaries: Life Insurance(Accidental Death and Disability Insurance) to provide a cover of Rs. two lakh per beneficiary including accidental death and permanent or partial disability; Health Insurance Cover to provide a cover for meeting expenses of hospitalization for medical procedure up to Rs.50,000 per beneficiary.
Both private and public hospitals would be empanelled to provide smart card based cashless hospitalization to the beneficiaries. In order to provide services in an effective and efficient manner, at least one hospital would be empanelled for 1000 beneficiaries. Under Fire Insurance a cover of Rs.5 lakh per beneficiary for the losses caused due to fire would be available. The state government would be spending about Rs 25 crore annually on this account as premium.
The Cabinet also approved the setting up of an exclusive court for quick disposal of cases related to NRIs at Jalandhar. In a major relief to the general public, the Cabinet also gave green signal to a proposal put forth by the Local Government department to give 10% rebate on Property Tax deposited up to March 31, 2014 instead of earlier date of December 31, 2013. Similarly, the Cabinet also gave nod for reducing the rate of property tax to be levied on residential properties under rent from existing 7.5% to three percent.
The Cabinet also gave nod to appoint Welfare Department as the Nodal department for formulation and monitoring of the implementation of Schedule Castes Sub Plan (SCSP). As per this decision the beneficiary oriented schemes/ components under the budgeted SCSP outlay would be controlled by the Welfare Department. In order to provide better educational facilities to the students, the Cabinet also gave approval to transfer five acres of vacant land ofGovernmentCollege, Sri Muktsar Sahib to Punjab University Regional Center Sri Muktsar Sahib so that the center could construct its own campus.
The Cabinet also approved the utilization of income worth Rs 16.17 crore to be received from Max Super Specialty Hospitals at Mohali and Bathinda upto March 31, 2014 for the completion of works under the Health Core plan including construction of two district hospitals, seven sub divisional hospitals, 31 new community hospitals and 33 new primary health centers.