Angul, Nov. 12: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today launched a health insurance scheme for 60 lakh farmers in the state.

Sharecroppers and workers engaged in the agricultural sector will also be benefited by the insurance scheme.

Launching the scheme, Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana, by giving smart cards to ten farmers of Pallahara block of this district at an event at Khamar here today, the chief minister described the insurance as a historic step by his government.

“Agriculture and farmers are the focus areas of my government. We have allocated Rs 7,000 crore for the farmers and the agriculture sector in the current fiscal,” he said, adding that the farmers belonging to both below poverty line and above poverty line families would be included in the insurance scheme.

The scheme will provide health insurance cover to farmers, who will make a one-time payment of Rs 30. It aims to enrol about 60 lakh farmers from across the state in the current fiscal. The enrolment drive started today in government schools at every panchayat, said an official source.The cardholders will get cashless treatment at all government and 85 specified private hospitals up to the cost of Rs 1 lakh.

Those farmers, who have already enrolled themselves under the national health insurance scheme for Rs 3 lakh, will get an additional insurance cover of Rs 70,000 under the yojana. The smart card will come free for them.

“A total of five members of a family can get the insurance benefits of the yojana,” said agriculture secretary Rajesh Verma.