Siliguri, Jan. 16: A short outing with life insurance and health-care benefits.

From Saturday, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) is all set to start its Cholo jai ghure ashi, a travel plan, in which tourists will be provided with life insurance and health-care benefits.

Fixing a revenue target of Rs 2 lakh per month, the loss-making government undertaking will launch a handful of tourism packages, with support from private tour-operators. The scheme, essentially to cater to low-budget tourists, will be offered for destinations across the plains of north Bengal.

Uttam Kumar Gan, divisional manager, NBSTC’s Siliguri depot, today told reporters that under this project, the corporation will provide life insurance benefits of up to Rs 20,000.

“Initially we will have four one-day, two one-night-two-day and one two-night-three-day packages. We will charge Rs 300 per adult for the one-day tours, Rs 1,500 each for the one-night-two-day package and Rs 3,000 for the third trip. For children below 10, the charges will be Rs 150, Rs 800 and Rs 2,000,” Gan said. Five new 32-seater mini buses, complete with a music system and first-aid arrangements, will be used for the plan. If any tourist falls sick, he or she will be taken to the nearest hospital, where treatment will be provided free of cost.

“Our target for the one-day service is for those who, after visiting hill stations, return to Siliguri in the morning to catch Calcutta-bound vehicles in the evening,” he said.

To popularise the service, the NBSTC will go for aggressive marketing from tomorrow. Leaflets, banners and local cable channels are some of the mediums through which the message of the project will be spread among residents, NBSTC officials said.