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In a move toward strengthening the social security net for State government employees, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday presented insurance benefit cheques to seven families at a function held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, a press release said.
The government of Assam, in its effort to enhance employee welfare and financial security, introduced the Zero-Cost Employee Insurance Scheme in January this year. The scheme aims to provide comprehensive insurance coverage to all permanent regular government employees without any financial burden on them. The insurance scheme encompasses five coverages: Air Accidental Insurance of Rs. 2 crore, Personal Accidental Insurance of Rs. 1 crore, Permanent Total Disability coverage up to Rs. 1 crore, Permanent Partial Disability coverage up to Rs. 80 lakh, and Term Life Insurance of Rs. 10 lakh. The press release added further that Chief Minister Sarma, as part of the Zero Premium Insurance coverage, presented insurance benefit cheques to seven families; four families received Rs. 1 crore each under Personal Accidental Insurance, two families received Rs. 10 lakh each under Group Term Life Insurance, and one family received an insurance amount under Permanent Partial disability coverage. Building on the success of the scheme, the State government is extending the same benefits to contractual and PSU employees. It has also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Axis Bank Ltd, formalising the inclusion of these employee categories under the Zero-Cost Employee Insurance Scheme, with benefits identical to those of regular employees. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that the insurance scheme launched by the government underscores the State government's continued commitment to ensuring financial security and dignity for its employees and their families. Speaking about the coverage of the scheme, the Chief Minister stated that it has so far enrolled over four lakh government employees across the state. A total of 238 claims have been reported, out of which 203 claims have been settled, bringing timely financial support to bereaved families. Out of the total settlement, 193 families have received Rs. 10 lakh each under the Group Term Life Insurance (GTLI) scheme, and 10 families have received Rs. 1 crore each under the Personal Accidental Insurance (PAI) scheme. The Chief Minister, moreover, stated that the Zero-Cost Employee Insurance Scheme was designed to provide comprehensive insurance coverage at no cost to all permanent and regular government employees. Now, with the MoU with the Axis Bank, the facility has been extended to the contractual and PSU employees, the Chief Minister added. CM Sarma also stated that the initiative is being implemented by the Finance Department in coordination with all departments, with Treasury Officers designated as Nodal Officers to ensure the effective rollout and monitoring of the scheme. He also stated that the scheme is operated through agreements with five major banks: the State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Axis Bank, and Indian Bank. These banks provide exclusive salary package accounts to employees, offering extensive insurance benefits. Considering the financial benefits associated with the scheme, the Chief Minister reiterated the need to generate extensive awareness among state employees about the use of the insurance scheme. Giving a brief snapshot of the various unique employee-friendly initiatives of the State government, the Chief Minister said that the schemes launched by the State government are aimed at giving sufficient dignity to employees. Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, who also spoke on the occasion, was accompanied by, among others, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Krishnendu Paul, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, and a host of other dignitaries, the release said. (ANI)
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