Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has proposed in the Union Budget 2011-12 that the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana will be extended to cover unorganized sector workers in hazardous mining and associated industries like slate and slate pencil, dolomite, mica and asbestos etc.

Presenting the Union Budget 2011-12 in the Lok Sabha today, Shri Mukherjee said that the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana has emerged as an effective instrument for providing a basic health cover to poor and marginal workers. Presently, it is being extended to MGNREGA beneficiaries, beedi workers and others.

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana expansion to hazardous mining workers increases health coverage for unorganized sector employees. Extension of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to unorganized workers in hazardous mining and associated industries is proposed to broaden eligibility and provide basic health cover to poor and marginal workers in high-risk occupations, including slate and slate pencil, dolomite, mica and asbestos sectors.