Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Labour Minister B N Bachegowda said that the scheme will provide insurance cover to BPL households from health shocks that involve hospitalisation. The districts of Bangalore Rural, Mysore, Dakshina Kannada, Belgaum and Shimoga are already covered under RSBY.
He said the State Government was keen that slumdwellers are also brought under the scheme. According to an estimate there are 35 lakh families living in various slums in the State. A survey of slums will be taken up jointly by the Labour, Urban Development and RDPR Departments, he said. The Labour Department was working out the modalities of imposing a cess to help fund social security programmes for the unorganised sector.
Bachegowda said the proposal was still in its initial stages and the quantum of cess was yet to be finalised. Approval of the State Cabinet would also be required to impose the cess. The State Government has earmarked Rs 20 crore under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) for employees in the unorganised sector.
Under NPS, unorganised workers can register themselves by paying a registration fee of Rs 25. A monthly premium of Rs 25 need to be paid to avail the pension benefits.
