By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government will soon launch a health insurance scheme — Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) – under which the policy holders will get insurance coverage of Rs 90,000.
Announcing this here on Saturday, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the new scheme, which will be in line with the Central government’s Rashtriya Swastya Bima Yojana (RSBY) which provides insurance coverage to BLP families, is likely to be launched in November.
Dr Sangma was addressing a function organized to distribute cheques to the beneficiaries of the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance Scheme (CMSAS).
The Chief Minister said his Government wanted to have a health insurance scheme which would cover all families residing in the State.
Speaking on the CMSAS, he said this scheme would cover three categories of people- infirm, disabled and widows.
While stating that there would be people who would like call this scheme as a pre-election gimmick, he said, “One cannot expect the Government to stop working since the Assembly election is nearing”.
The Chief Minister said the reason for conceptualization of the scheme could be summed up in one sentence – “My heart told me to do so”.
Stating that this scheme was the brainchild of the Chief Minister, Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “Dr Sangma is truly a leader with a difference.”
Minister in charge of Information Technology AL Hek called the scheme an innovative idea “which would turn tears of the beneficiaries into pearls”.
In his speech, Mawprem legislator Manas Chaudhuri said several governments and chief ministers have come and gone, but no one of thought of having this kind of scheme to support the poor and neglected.
“We need to applaud the Chief Minister for having the heart for the deprived members of the society,” Chaudhuri said.
Under the scheme, 150 beneficiaries hailing from the capital city and Mylliem are each given assistance of Rs. 500 per month.