The Plan allocation for the year 2011-12 has been proposed to step up by 20 per cent to Rs. 26700 crore. This was announced by the Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee while presenting the Union Budget 2011-12 in the Lok Sabha today.

Shri Mukherjee said that the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana which has emerged as an effective instrument for providing a basic health cover to poor and marginal workers will now be extended to unorganized sector workers in hazardous mining and associated industries like slate and slate pencil, dolomite, mica and asbestos etc.

Health sector allocation increase expands basic coverage and extends Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to hazardous unorganized workers. The Plan allocation for the health sector is increased by 20 per cent to Rs. 26700 crore for 2011 12, and the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana is extended to cover unorganized sector workers in hazardous mining and associated industries including slate, dolomite, mica and asbestos.