Himachal Government To Implement Insurance Scheme For Weavers

By: Neha Chandok

Shimla: The state government is soon to implement various sponsored schemes for the upliftement of weavers.

The Industries Department would also be implementing the ‘Handicraft Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme’, which aims at providing insurance cover with enhanced insurance benefits and better health facilities to handicraft weavers, an official spokesman said.

Giving details, he said that it was to make sure that the weaver community becomes economically self-reliant and has better medical facilities to their access.

A health insurance scheme would provide health cover to the family of the weaver, which includes his wife and two children the spokesman said. The families who would avail the scheme would be required to deposit a premium of Rs 69.56 every year. Weavers who have at least 50 percent income from handicraft weaving are eligible to avail the benefits under this scheme, he added.

The annual limit of availing medical assistance under the scheme would be Rs. 15,000 per family, he added.

The scheme would be implemented through ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd. Interested weavers have been asked to contact the telephone numbers 0177-2628902 or 98166-47379.

The Mahatma Gandhi Weavers Insurance Scheme would provide enhanced insurance cover and medical insurance to weavers, in case of natural death, death by accident, complete or partial disability. The condition of 50% of income from weaving applies to this scheme also and can be availed by anyone between 18 to 59 years of age, the spokesman disclosed.

The beneficiaries of the scheme would have to deposit an annual premium of Rs. 80 and this scheme was being implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India. Interested persons can contact 0177-2629231, 98161-84801.