CM KCR announces Mega Insurance Scheme for farmers

Karimnagar, Feb 27: In another major initiative for farmers in the State, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday announced a mega health-cum-life insurance scheme for ryots, under which they will be provided a cover of Rs 5 lakh per annum for healthcare and hospitalization as also in the case of death. The State government will allocate Rs 500 crore in the budget for implementation of the scheme.

The Chief Minister's announcement came in response to a farmer seeking insurance facility in the regional conference of mandal level Farmers' Coordination Committees' held at the Ambedkar Stadium here.

The insurance scheme to be implemented soon would benefit about 70 lakh farmers in the State. Families of farmers will be paid the amount whether the ryot meets with accidental death or dies of natural cause.

The State government will pay the entire premium on behalf of the farmers to bring happy tidings to the ryots, the Chief Minister said, adding in a lighter vein that Finance Minister Etela Rajender, who hails from Karimnagar, has to give the final nod for the insurance scheme.

"The Finance Minister will have his own problems in giving his word of approval for the health insurance for farmers," he said in an obvious reference to the tightrope walk that the Finance Minister would have to endure in financial management.

Chandrashekhar Rao then turned to Rajender seated on the dais and asked him if it would be okay on his part to introduce the insurance scheme, and the Minister sounded his 'no objection'.