Chief minister Tarun Gogoi hands over the replica of a cheque worth Rs 25 crore to R. Rangarajan (left), technical director of ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd, as planning and development minister Himanta Biswa Sarma looks on. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, July 25: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi may have just insured his political future.

Unveiling a unique welfare scheme just months ahead of the Assembly elections, Gogoi today declared that every bonafide resident of Assam, aged between three and 80, and with an annual family income below Rs 2 lakh before tax, would be covered by a health and accident insurance policy paid for by the government.

The chief minister handed a cheque for Rs 25 crore as the first premium for the insurance policy to ICICI-Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd.

Gogoi said the policy would cover all residents of Assam whose names had been included in the electoral rolls as well as their dependants.

The only ones left out are employees of the central and state governments, public sector companies, corporate houses and residents whose annual family incomes before tax exceed the Rs 2-lakh ceiling.

Describing the scheme as the outcome of a ?landmark? decision by the Congress government, the chief minister promised more in the next few months.

?Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ka saath (the Congress? hand is with the common man),? he said.

The accident insurance scheme provides for payment of Rs 50,000 in the event of death and Rs 25,000 for disabilities caused by a mishap. Two per cent of the sum assured ? Rs 1,000 ? will be paid by the insurance company for medical treatment of major bone fracture.

The threats to life covered by the scheme include snakebite, animal bite, drowning, earthquake, landslides, rockslides, lightning, cloudburst, fire, collapse of roof, vehicle accidents, accidental explosions or firing and riots.

The health cover provides for reimbursement of a maximum expenditure of Rs 25,000 in the treatment of some listed diseases contracted or diagnosed after August 25 this year.

Health problems arising out of HIV/AIDS are out of the insurance policy?s purview.

Revenue circle officers, chairpersons of town committees, municipal boards and corporations, and zila parishad and gram panchayat presidents will be given the responsibility of facilitating claims.

The relevant forms will be available at the revenue circle offices and panchayats, the chief minister said.

ICICI-Lombard has been asked to settle claims within one month of being intimated by the authorities concerned.