Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah launches health insurance scheme for KSRTC employees

Aound 34,000 employees of KSRTC and their dependents (approximately 1.5 lakh people) will be eligible for this scheme.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a health insurance scheme for the employees of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) called 'KSRTC Arogya' on Monday.

Siddaramaiah told reporters that there was no politics behind hosting dinner with ministers at the residence of PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi. “Media persons are unnecessarily giving political colour to it,” he said. (ANI)

Speaking at the launch event in Bengaluru, CM Siddaramaiah said the doctors should not be dismissive of patients visiting hospitals under the scheme and treat everyone equally.

Karnataka's Minister for Transport and Muzrai, Ramalinga Reddy, who was also present, said around 34,000 employees of KSRTC and their dependents (approximately 1.5 lakh people) will be eligible for this scheme.

According to him, this scheme was the fulfilment of a demand raised by labour unions for many years.

"The scheme will also be implemented in organisations such as BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation), NWKRTC (North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation), and KKRTC (Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) within the next three months," added Reddy.

Chairman of KSRTC and MLA of Gubbi Constituency, S R Srinivasa handed over a cheque of ₹20 crore to the KSRTC Trust, to form a corpus fund for the implementation of the scheme. He also released the internal periodic magazine, 'Saarige Sampada' and the KSRTC Arogya Manual.

Under 'KSRTC Arogya' all 34,000 employees of the corporation are eligible even for eye and dental treatments, said a KSRTC press note.

To begin with, KSRTC has signed MOUs with 275 hospitals and four diagnostics centres for IP/OPD cashless treatments. Under the scheme, ₹650 per month will be deducted from the salaries of the officers and staff of the corporation, added the note.