PANJIM: The government announced the re-tendering of the modified mediclaim scheme ‘Deen Dayal Swastha Seva Yojna’, on Monday. The scheme will be applicable to all irrespective of income criteria, unlike the earlier mediclaim scheme. The only criteria should be that the head of the family availing of this scheme should be a resident of Goa for five years.

“The scheme will initially be for two years and thereafter it will be renewed every year. Charges for renewal will be Rs 100 while SC/ST will have to pay Rs 50,” Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar informed the House, claiming the scheme is ‘unique’ in the country.

According to Parsekar, the schedule of the health insurance scheme is in the process of being uploaded on the government website. He mentioned that the ceiling of payments under this scheme has been hiked compared to former Congress-led regime’s Swarnajayanti Bima Yojna, which was scrapped.

“The new scheme will give financial cover of Rs 2.5 lakh to a three-member family for a nominal installment of Rs 300, while a family of four members or above will get insurance cover of Rs four lakh with installment of Rs 500,” he told the House in reply to demands for grants on Health. The installment for SC/ST will be 50 percent less.

It may be recalled that on July 28 when the issue was raised during Question hour, the health minister had informed that the re-tendering of the scheme was in final stages and was expected to be fully functional in the next four-to-five months.

Government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital, the two District and sub district hospitals, and a few recognized corporate hospitals will be empanelled under the scheme. The Cottage hospital will be included eventually, Parsekar told the House. This, he said, will reduce the burden on GMC as the government has started the scheme with a vision till 2020.

Replying to another cut motion on the bad state of T B hospital, Parsekar conceded that the condition of the hospital was bad before it got a face-lift. “The situation of T B Hospital was like T B (disease). Even a healthy person entering the hospital would feel like a (T B) patient. We (ruling coalition) did a face-lift and increased its life by another 10-15 years,” he said.

This is even as the hospital would be shifted to GMC premises under its up-gradation scheme wherein all major hospitals would be brought under one roof.

The government has also decided to extend the infrastructure of Goa Dental College and start Post Graduate courses. For this, Parsekar said, the government has invested Rs 52 crore. “It would be a 24×7 hospital in future,” he commented.

Parsekar also said that government has taken yet another decision to start MSc in nursing studies.