Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, MLA K Raghupathy Bhat said that as many as 1,800 families belonging to SC/ST including 822 families from SC and 978 families from ST and 300 families from Koraga community have been identified under the scheme. Under this scheme, the medical expenses to a maximum limit of Rs 30,000 would be paid by the municipality. The annual premium amount of Rs 25 lakh required under the scheme will be given by the municipality through 22.75 per cent grants released by the State government under SFC. The insurance scheme is named as Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS), he said.
The scheme will be launched on August 13 by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. He will distribute insurance cards to 10 families symbolically on the occasion. The remaining families will get their cards on August 15, he informed.
Stating that it was a model scheme introduced in the entire State, the MLA said Udupi Municipality has entered into an agreement with National Insurance Company to issue the health card. The head of the family of these communities would also be eligible for accident benefit up to Rs 1 lakh and up to Rs 50,000 in case of injuries.
Bhat informed that Udupi Municipality has spent Rs 2 crore under various welfare schemes for SC/ST families during last year. This included education, health, housing, free water connection infrastructure facilities in the hostels, providing laptops and reimbursement of tuition fee for SC/ST students for higher education. During the current year, municipality is spending Rs 1.86 crore, he added.
He said State-level convention of local bodies will be held on August 12 and 13 in Udupi. As many as 1,000 delegates comprising presidents, vice presidents, chairmen of standing committees and commissioners from across 44 City Municipalities, 94 Town Municipalities and 68 Town Panchayats will take part.
The convention will be inaugurated by Minister for Civic Administration Balachandra Jarakiholi. Home Minister Dr V S Acharya and Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar will be the chief guests.
Chief Minister will deliver valedictory address on August 13, he added.
Several vital issues pertaining to municipal administration such as more financial powers to civic bodies, creation of additional two standing committees in addition to the existing single standing committee, revision of pay scale to the municipal staff and increasing the honorarium paid to the president, vice president and standing committee chairmen will be discussed.