Maha government's flagship health insurance scheme to cover all: CM Shinde

CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra government's flagship health insurance scheme will cover the entire population of the state, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday.

The insurance cover of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MPJAY) has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, Shinde told reporters after chairing the state Cabinet meeting.

"The health insurance scheme will cover the entire 12.5 crore population of the state," he said.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said the MPJAY and Ayushman Bharat Health scheme will be merged with a Rs 5 lakh insurance cover.

The MPJAY health scheme provides end-to-end cashless services for identified diseases through a network of service providers from the government and private sector.

As of now, the beneficiaries of the scheme include holders of the yellow ration card, Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration card (AAY), Annapurna ration card, and orange ration card, besides white ration card-holder farmer families from 14 agriculturally distressed districts, and other sections.

The chief minister also said the "aapla davakhana" scheme for providing health services to common people will be expanded in the state beginning with Mumbai.

"A total of 700 clinics will be set up across the state under 'aapla davakhana' scheme with the sanctioned budget of Rs 210 crore," he added.

The state Cabinet also approved to set up a separate corporation for the unorganised sector.

"As per this plan, workers employed in the unorganised sector will be registered. In the second phase, benefits of various welfare schemes meant for the unorganised sector will be provided," Shinde added.

He said the Cabinet sub-committee on industries has discussed the industrial and investment scenario and approved the investment proposals worth Rs 40,000 crore which will provide jobs to 1,20,000 people.

Shinde said Maharashtra topped the states in terms of attracting Foreign Direct Investment in the last year.

The Cabinet also decided that rivers will be desilted in the 1,648-km network as a preventive measure against flooding.