Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 5 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh government is preparing to introduce a new health insurance scheme offering coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh per family, replacing the existing Rs 5-lakh Himcare scheme, Principal Media Advisor to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Naresh Chauhan, said on Thursday.
Speaking to ANI in Shimla, Chauhan said eight insurance companies had participated in the tendering process for the proposed scheme, with Birla Sun Life emerging as the lowest bidder. He said Chief Minister Sukhu had directed the Health Secretary to hold further negotiations with the company to finalise the process and expedite the implementation of the scheme.
Chauhan said the new model had been designed after the state government received complaints of alleged corruption and misuse of funds under the Himcare scheme. Preliminary inquiries had reportedly pointed towards a nexus involving certain private hospitals and nursing homes, including facilities outside Himachal Pradesh, leading to alleged irregularities in medical claims.
He said the government intended to ensure greater transparency and strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly for families unable to afford expensive medical treatment.
"People living below the poverty line and those covered under other eligible welfare schemes will certainly benefit from the proposed scheme. Its coverage will be enhanced from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per family, while the scope of beneficiaries will also be expanded," Chauhan said.
He added that the proposed insurance-based model would help curb irregularities and ensure that public money was utilised effectively. The government was also working to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure through advanced medical technology, robotic surgery, PET-CT scan facilities, MRI and X-ray machines, besides recruitment of doctors and other healthcare staff.
On the Union government's recent decision concerning the Agnipath recruitment scheme, Chauhan said Congress had opposed the policy from its inception, arguing that four years of service were insufficient for young people aspiring to build careers in the armed forces.
"Recruiting young people into the armed forces for just four years raises serious questions about their future and the future of the military. Even extending the tenure by two years does not adequately address the issue. There should be a minimum service period of 10 years, preferably 15 years," he said.
He added that the Congress and the INDIA bloc would bring changes to the Agnipath scheme if they came to power at the Centre.
On the disciplinary action against more than 200 Youth Congress office-bearers across seven states, Chauhan said the action had been taken against those who failed to participate in the recent protest movement.
He said participation in the movement was mandatory for office-bearers of both the Youth Congress and Congress.
"Those who did not participate in the movement have faced action. The All India Youth Congress will take a further decision on the matter," he said.
Commenting on Congress's campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Chauhan said the issue of electoral transparency had emerged as a major concern across the country.
He said Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly raised questions over the fairness of elections during the past three years, alleging that electoral processes were being influenced through deletion of voters' names, addition of voters and the use of government resources to influence the electorate.
"Democracy is the country's greatest strength. Governments will come and go, but democracy and the Constitution must remain strong. The struggle is aimed at ensuring transparency in the electoral process and protecting democratic institutions," he said.
Referring to the recent US midterm election results, Chauhan said they demonstrated that voters ultimately had the power to hold governments accountable, irrespective of how powerful those in authority might be.
He said the message was equally relevant for India, where democratic institutions and electoral transparency needed to be protected.
On the proposed health insurance scheme, Chauhan said the government was working to finalise the tendering process and the premium structure, adding that further details would be announced after negotiations with the selected insurance company. (ANI)
Himachal to introduce Rs 10 lakh health insurance scheme, eight companies participate in tender: Naresh Chauhan
