Oct. 5: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement on bringing teachers of state-aided schools within the ambit of the group health insurance scheme, Swasthya Sathi, has few takers among the intended beneficiaries.

Less than 20 per cent of the teachers of state-aided primary and secondary schools have applied to get covered under the scheme, a school education department official said.

The teachers Metro spoke to said they were reluctant to apply because they preferred a scheme which would be on a par with the West Bengal Health for All Employees and Pensioners Cashless Medical Treatment Scheme, 2014 (popularly known as the West Bengal Health Scheme), which covers state government employees.

Teachers of government schools such as Hindu School and Hare School are covered by the West Bengal Health Scheme.

According to the teachers, the scheme meant for the government employees provides better facilities compared with Swasthya Sathi.

Swasthya Sathi, originally launched for employees of the unorganised sector, offers a coverage of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for the treatment of employees and their family members, including parents, at any private hospital on its list. The coverage is up to Rs 5 lakh for treatment of critical diseases such as heart, liver and kidney ailments and cancer.

In contrast, the coverage under the West Bengal Health Scheme is unlimited, said Krishnaprasanna Bhattacharya, the general secretary of the CPM-controlled All Bengal Teachers Association (ABTA).

Of all associations of teachers of state-aided schools in Bengal, the ABTA has the maximum number of members.

Members of the Trinamul-backed teachers' union are opposed to the government's move, too.

"We don't support the government's decision to bring us under the Swasthya Sathi scheme. We have appealed to the education department to reconsider the decision and bring us under the West Bengal Health Scheme," a member of the Trinamal Congress Secondary Teachers' association said, requesting anonymity.

The chief minister had promised to include teachers in state-aided schools in the Swasthya Sathi scheme while addressing a function organised by the state government to observe Teachers' Day on September 5.

In most districts, teachers had till September 30 to apply for inclusion in the Swasthya Sathi scheme.

The teachers in state-aided schools are now provided a medical allowance of Rs 300 every month.

Those who will not opt for the Swasthya Sathi scheme will continue to get the money.

Some teachers said the West Bengal Health Scheme was better than Swasthya Sathi not just because of the unlimited medical coverage it offered.

"There are some other benefits as well," a teacher of an aided school in south Calcutta said.

"For example, the West Bengal Health Scheme has more listed private hospitals than Swasthya Sathi. There is hardly any reputable private hospital on the Swasthya Sathi list."

The children of the enrolled employees are entitled to the Swasthya Sathi benefits till they are 18. Under the West Bengal Health Scheme, the daughters are eligible for the benefits till they are 25.

Vibhuti Express

The Howrah-Allahabad City Vibhuti Express will terminate at Varanasi from October 8 to 10 because of repairs at Hardattpur station. The Down train will start from Varanasi from October 9 to 11.