Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to licensed porters, licensed vendors and licensed hawkers

1. In pursuance of Hon’ble Minister of Railways’ announcement while introducing the Railway Budget 2010-2011 and in fulfillment of our corporate social responsibility, it is proposed to extend Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to licensed porters, licensed vendors and licensed hawkers belonging to the Above Poverty Line (APL) category who are from the unorganized sector and are socially challenged.
2. The objectives of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana are to provide financial security to the unorganized sector workers belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) and their families from hospitalization related expenses, improve access to quality health care, provide beneficiaries the power of choice to select a health care provider and to provide a scheme which is simple to use for the end user and transparent.
2.1 The Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojana provides for smart card based cashless health insurance cover of ` 30,000/- per annum in case of hospitalisation and certain day care procedures to a BPL family of five on floater basis. Transportation charges are also covered upto a maximum of ` 1,000/- per annum with a limit of ` 100 per hospital visit. Pre and post hospitalisation expenses up to one day prior to hospitalization and
up to five days from the date of discharge from the hospital are covered in the Yojana. All pre-existing diseases are covered from day one and there is no age limit on the enrolment of beneficiaries. A network of health care providers is created across India through empanelment based on defined criteria. Further details of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana could be accessed from Ministry of Labour & Employment’s
website: www. rsby.gov.in.
3. In the case of BPL licensed porters, licensed vendors and licensed hawkers not yet covered, Zonal Railways shall facilitate them for coverage under the existing scheme of RSBY being implemented by the concerned State Governments.
4. The guidelines for extension of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to the licensed porters, licensed vendors and licensed hawkers belonging to the above poverty line group whose records are maintained by the Railways and who are not covered under BPL category have been prepared in consultation with the Ministry of Labour & Employment and are as under:-
(i) The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana is to be implemented through State Nodal Agencies set up to implement RSBY by the State Governments.
(ii) In the States where State Nodal Agency has not been set up, a body will be identified by the identified by the State Government which will act as State Nodal Agency for this purpose.
(iii) It has been decided that premium payable to be shared between the Railways and the beneficiaries would be in the ratio of 75:25. Railways’ contribution would be to a maximum of ` 565/- per family per annum or 75% of the annual premium, whichever is less. In addition to this, beneficiaries will be paying ` 30/- per family per year at the time of registration.
(iv) Railways are required to prepare the data of beneficiaries in the specified RSBY format on Division basis. This is to enable the Railways to pay the premium to one authority even though the beneficiaries will be spread over one or more districts.
(v) Zonal Railways will have to make advance payment of the full premium for one year for all the beneficiaries to the State Nodal Agency which will pass that on to the Insurance Company selected through open bidding by the State Nodal Agency. Besides 75% of the premium being borne by the Railway, it would be Railways’ responsibility to collect the balance share of 25% from the beneficiaries. Insurance companies will enroll beneficiaries and issues Smart Cards after receipt of advance premium.
(vi) Beneficiaries will have to pay a small charge of ` 30/- per family per year as registration/renewal fee in addition to their share of 25% of the premium. The registration fee will be collected by the Insurance Company at the time of enrolment directly from the beneficiaries.
(vii) Once enrolled in the scheme, beneficiaries of Railways will be able to get the benefits of the scheme across India in all the empanelled hospitals.
(viii) Key Field Officers have to be nominated on Divisions and a Coordination Officer has to be nominated at the zonal level from the Commercial Department.
(ix) Workshop on RSBY would be organised in New Delhi inviting Key Field Officers from the Division and the Coordination officers from the Zonal headquarters to create awareness about the Yojana.
(x) The Insurance Company/State Nodal Agency will also conduct wide awareness generation programmes during pre and post enrolment period. Railways may nominate officers from headquarter and divisions to attend such awareness  programmes/workshops so that they are able to spread awareness amongst railway
staff which is essential for proper implementation of the scheme.
5. The expenditure on payments made by the Railways and the contributions received from the vendors/ porters etc under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana shall be accounted for under the following heads in Abstract K-Miscellaneous Working Expenses:
* Minor Head : 600- Other Expenses
* Sub Head : 660- Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana
* Detailed Heads : 661- Premium towards Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana
* Detailed Heads : 662- Other Expenses
663- Credits for contributions paid by beneficiaries to RSBY
An advance Correction Slip to introduce these accounts heads in the expenditure classification is being issued separately.
6. Necessary action may be taken to provide funds in the Revised Estimates/Budget Estimates for implementation of the scheme.
7. Ministry of Railways desire that his scheme be implemented for the eligible beneficiaries and compliance reported to the Ministry.