Undeserving lot in fray for illness fund
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 12 2013:
With many people trying to enjoy benefits of the Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund through fraudulent and crooked means, a large of number of deserving people have been put in a difficult position.
The Manipur State Illness Fund was set up in 2011-12 as part of the Central sponsored Rashtriya Rogya Nidhi with the objective of providing assistance of up to Rs 1.5 lakh in the event of any member of BPL family suffering from a major illness or medical problem.
The monetary assistance provided under the scheme is once in a lifetime affair.
The rule is that the Government would reimburse up to Rs 1.5 lakh of the medical expenditure incurred by a BPL family.
According to Health Director Dr A Bijoy, the Health Directorate has been sanctioned Rs 7.14 crore for providing monetary assistance to BPL families under the Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund (MSIAF) .
A large number of people who are aware of MSIAF and who do not actually belong to BPL category have submitted application to avail benefits of the programme using fraudulent and crooked means thereby creating a lot of inconveniences to genuine BPL people.
On account of the large number of applications submitted by non-BPL people, the committee which is screening the applications are taking more time.
In the first batch, 117 applications seeking assistance under MSIAF were received but only 14 applicants were found to be deserving beneficiaries, Dr Bijoy said.
This was established after close examination by the screening committee.
Many of the fraud applicants submitted forged BPL cards and forged income certificate.
Some others submitted hospital documents and receipts for purchasing medicines while they were not ill at all.
So far, the Health Directorate has received 300 applications for MSIAF.
Out of them, 14 people have been granted monetary assistance.
When MSIAF was first introduced, the amount payable under it was just Rs one lakh.
The amount was increased to Rs 1.50 lakh only recently after the State Cabinet adopted a resolution towards this end.
BPL families who undergo medical treatment in hospitals run by the State Government, RIMS, JNIMS and some other private hospitals and diagnostic centres empanelled by the State Screening Committee are entitled to apply for MSIAF.
The different types of illness/health problems where MSIAF is applicable are cardiac problems and surgeries, urological and nephrological problems, all types of cancer, orthopaedic problems, all types of major surgeries, gynaecological surgeries, medicine problems, paediatrics problems, ophthalmological problems, medical problems requiring treatment in ICU and ICCU, dental problems, neurological and neurosurgical problems, mental illness and endocrimological problems.
Filing applications for MSIAF required BPL card or income certificate, affidavit declaring one's domicile, documents issued by Government recognised hospitals for undergoing OPD examination.
Applications attached with these documents should be submitted to the Directorate of Health Services, Government of India.
No Government employee can apply for MSIAF but retired employees can apply based on their annual incomes.
Observing that MSIAF is a landmark initiative of the State Government towards health care of the State's poorer sections, Dr A Bijoy appealed to all people of non-BPL category not to apply for the novel programme.
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