New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS): The union cabinet Thursday brought workers in the unorganised sector under the cover of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana through which they are entitled to smart card-based cashless health insurance cover of Rs.30,000 per family every year.

The cabinet extended the benefits of the scheme to building and other construction workers, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee SCheme (MGNREGS) beneficiaries, street vendors, beedi workers and domestic workers, an official release said.

The beneficiary family will have to pay Rs.30 per annum per family as registration/renewal fee while the administrative cost is borne by the state government.

Under the scheme, the central government contributes 75 percent of the annual premium while the state governments contribute 25 percent.

In the northeast region and Jammu and Kashmir, the premium is shared in the ratio of 90:10.

The decision was taken after the cabinet reviewed the implementation of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, launched Oct, 1, 2007, as the health insurance scheme for families living below the poverty line. It was operationalised in April 2008.