MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI BALA SAHEB VIKHE PATIL)
(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED
QUESTION NO. 82 FOR ANSWER ON 28TH JULY, 2000 TABLED BY
SHRIMATI BHAVNA CHIKHALIA(M.P.) AND SHRI SULTAN SALAHUDDIN
OWAISI(M.P.) REGARDING INSURANCE SCHEME FOR PEOPLE LIVING
BELOW POVERTY LINE
(a) & (b): No, Sir. However, following the announcement made in the Budget Speech of
this year the Government has decided to introduce a new Scheme of Group Insurance,
namely, `Janashree Bima Yojana` to be implemented through Life Insurance Corporation
of India. The new scheme will be launched soon. The basic details of the Scheme are at
Annexure-I. The Scheme would cover poorer sections of the society including people
marginally above the poverty line if they belong to an identified vocational group.
Presently 24 such vocational groups have been identified details of which are given at
Annexure-II
c): According to Planning Commission, the persons with per capita consumption
expenditure less than an exogenously defined poverty cut-off point, known as poverty line,
are defined to be living below the poverty line. The Task Force constituted by the Planning
Commission in 1977 defined the poverty line as per capita consumption expenditure level,
which meets the average per capita daily calorie requirement of 2400 kcal in rural areas
and 2100 kcal in urban areas along with a minimum of non-food expenditure. The latest
estimates of number of persons living below the poverty line available upto the year 1993-
94 are given in Annexure-III.
(d): Total premium per member would be Rs.200/-. 50% of the premium would be met
from the Social Security Fund operated by the Life Insurance Corporation of India and
50% would be met by the beneficiary or the Nodal Agency. The State Governments have
the option to pay the amount on behalf of the beneficiary or the Nodal Agency. The total
amount to be paid under the Scheme would depend on the number of persons joining the
scheme.
(e): No specific age group was earlier proposed. Persons between 18-60 years of age
would be covered by the Scheme.
(f): Does not arise in view of answer to (e) above.
ANNEXURE-I
BASIC DETAILS OF JANASHREE BIMA YOJANA
(i) Coverage:-
The Janashree Bima Yojana would cover all persons below the poverty line in the
rural and urban areas between the age of 18 to 60 years. However, in urban areas/ rural
areas the poor would also include marginally above the poverty line persons if they belong
to an identified occupational group. The scheme would be operated through LIC and
additional occupational groups would be identified and notified by LIC in consultation
with the State Governments / nodal agencies. The groups should have a minimum of 25
beneficiaries, whether found under aegis of Panchayats, NGOs, Self-help groups, Nodal
Agencies or any other institutionalised arrangements.
(ii) Benefits:-
The benefits would be Rs.20,000 on natural death and Rs.50,000/- on death/ total
permanent disability due to accident and Rs. 25,000/- in case of partial permanent
disability due to accident. In addition, for groups who are enrolled as members of the
Janashree Bima Yojana for three years, LIC would allow Experience Rating Adjustment
of premium on the basis of claim experience.
(iii) Premium:-
The premium would be Rs.200/-per year. 50% of the premium i.e Rs.100/- would
be met from the Social Security Fund for both urban and rural poor. The balance 50% of
the premium i.e. Rs.100/- is to be paid by the individual beneficiary/nodal agency. The
State Government has the liberty to further subsidise the amount payable by the individual
beneficiary.
ANNEXURE-II
Details of Vocational Groups Presently Covered
S.NO. VOCATIONS
1. BEEDI WORKERS
2. BRICK-KILN WORKERS
3. CARPENTERS
4. COBLERS
5. FISHERMEN
6. HAMMALS
7 HANDICRAFT ARTISANS
8. HANDLOOM WEAVERS
9. HANDLOOM AND KHADI WEAVERS
10. LADY TAILORS
11. LEATHER AND TANNERY WORKERS
12. PAPAD WORKERS ATTACHED TO SEWA
13. PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS
14. PRIMARY MILK PRODUCERS()
15. RICKSHAW PULLERS/AUTO DRIVERS
16. SAFAI KARAMCHARIS
17. SALT GROWERS
18. TENDU LEAF COLLECTORS()
19. SCHEME FOR THE URBAN POOR
20. FOREST WORKERS()
21. SERICULTURE WORKERS()
22. TODDY TAPPERS()
23. POWERLOOM WORKERS
24. BREAD-EARNING WOMEN IN REMOTE RURAL HILLY AREAS()
NOTE: 1. The groups indicated by are predominantly rural in nature 2. The group indicated by was approved in 1997-98.
ANNXURE-III
State-wise Estimates of No. of persons living below the poverty line for the year 1993-94
(in lakhs)
S.NO. STATE RURAL URBAN COMBINED
1. Andhra Pradesh 79.49 74.47 153.97
2. Arunachal Pradesh 3.62 0.11 3.73
3. Assam 94.33 2.03 96.36
4. Bihar 450.86 42.49 493.35
5. Goa 0.38 1.53 1.91
6. Gujarat 62.16 43.02 105.19
7 Haryana 36.56 7.31 43.88
8. Himachal Pradesh 15.40 0.46 15.86
9. Jammu & Kashmir 19.05 1.86 20.92
10. Karnataka 95.99 60.46 156.46
11. Kerala 55.95 20.46 76.41
12. Madhya Pradesh 216.19 82.33 298.52
13. Maharashtra 193.33 111.90 305.22
14. Manipur 6.33 0.47 6.80
15. Meghalaya 7.09 0.29 7.38
16. Mizoram 1.64 0.30 1.94
17. Nagaland 4.85 0.20 5.05
18. Orissa 140.90 19.70 160.60
19. Punjab 17.76 7.35 25.11
20. Rajasthan 94.68 33.82 128.50
21. Sikkim 1.81 0.03 1.84
22. Tamil Nadu 121.70 80.40 202.10
23. Tripura 11.41 0.38 11.79
24. Uttar Pradesh 496.17 108.28 604.46
25. West Bengal 209.90 44.66 254.56
26. Andaman & Nicobar 0.73 0.33 1.06
27. Chandigarh 0.07 0.73 0.80
28. Dadra & Nagar Haveli 0.72 0.06 0.77
29. Daman & Diu 0.03 0.15 0.18
30. Delhi 0.19 15.32 15.51
31. Lakshadweep 0.06 0.08 0.14
32. Pondicherry 0.93 2.38 3.31
All India 2440.31 763.37 3203.68
Source: Planning Commission with their assumptions.
