New Delhi (PTI): About 1.2 crore poor people in the country will be provided with health insurance cover in a year and the scheme will be expanded to include all sections under Below Poverty Line (BPL) over five years, Government told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The BPL people will be provided with smart cards and they can avail of doctors’ consultations and medicines up to Rs 30,000 free, Minister for Chemicals Ram Vilas Paswan said in reply to questions.
The move will cost Rs 3,500 crore to the state exchequer, he said.
Emphasising that the government was committed to ensure availability of life saving drugs at cheaper rates, he said pharmaceutical companies have been asked not to hike prices beyond 10 per cent per year failing which penalty would be imposed for overcharging.
The direction was issued in April this year, prior to which the companies could raise prices up to 20 per cent.
Till now, Rs 1400 crore have been recovered as penalty and cases have been filed against those who have not obeyed, the Minister said.
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