New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 135th episode of his monthly radio programme, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, on Sunday, highlighted how the Centre is extending a “protective shield” through insurance schemes to crores of families across the country.
“In our country, occasions like birthdays, weddings, and family functions are not merely private affairs but celebrations for the entire community. Every family wishes to share its joy with others, and people often give gifts to their guests. A family in Nanded, Maharashtra, has done something to share their happiness that has become a topic of discussion,” PM Modi said.
Mentioning the Pethkar family from the village of Bahadarpura in Maharashtra’s Nanded, he added, “This family felt that if they were to share their joy, they should offer something that could serve as a support system for a family during difficult times. On the occasion of a wedding in their home, the family arranged accident insurance for approximately 3,500 villagers.”
The Prime Minister mentioned that through this, each individual was provided with an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh.
“The sentiment behind this initiative is truly touching. The family had observed that households often face severe financial hardship following an accident. During such times, even a little aid turns out to be of great support,” he added.
Highlighting the Centre’s initiatives, PM Modi said, “The government is extending this protective shield to crores of families across the country. Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana’, for an annual premium of just Rs 20, meaning a premium of only Rs 20 for the entire year, one gets ‘accidental insurance’ cover of up to Rs 2 lakh. So far, more than 58 crore people have joined this scheme.”
Among them, he mentioned that approximately 28 crore are women. He also stated that the affected families have received assistance amounting to over Rs 3,700 crore through this scheme to date, as per the accounts available so far.
Similarly, the Prime Minister said that the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana’ is equally important as it provides an insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh to a person’s family in the event of their unfortunate death.
He mentioned that the annual premium of the scheme is just Rs 436, which works out to barely Rs 1.50 per day. He added that over 27 crore people have joined this scheme so far. Under it, around 11 lakh families across the country have received assistance totalling approximately Rs 22,000 crore.
“These figures are massive,” the Prime Minister said.
“Behind these numbers lie the individual stories of lakhs of families; somewhere, a mother received help to continue her children’s education, while elsewhere, a wife found the support needed to manage household responsibilities,” he said.
“Often, a significant safety net can begin with a very small amount and a tiny step; even a small decision can bring about a major change. I urge all of you to share information about these schemes with your families,” PM Modi added.
(IANS)
