Govt to Give Health Insurance To Poor

The Government has said that it is working on a scheme to provide health insurance to the poor, besides offering life and disability cover to one earning member of each economically weaker family. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said these measures along with old age pension to all citizens above 65 years and living below the poverty line would help the poor cope up with distressed times. Through these initiatives, we intend to ensure a minimum level of social safety for all of them (poor families), Singh said after giving away national awards for micro, small and medium enterprises, instituted by the government. He said the health insurance model would help the poor bear the high cost of medical care while the life and disability cover would enable them to get over the consequences of injury or death.