New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) About 55 lakh beedi workers will soon get medical insurance benefits under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) by 2013-14 under a proposal approved by the Union Cabinet today.
A meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to extend the insurance cover to the beedi workers spread across the country, with the government spending an estimated Rs 311.25 crore on it.
"It is proposed to cover ten lakh beedi workers in the current financial year and 100 per cent of the total beedi workers by 2013-14", Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters here.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni described the decision as "a significant and important agenda of the UPA government".
Under the scheme, the worker and his family of five would benefit with a medical insurance cover of Rs 30,000.