Group Insurance Scheme for Powerloom Weavers

The Government of India had introduced the 'Group Insurance Scheme for Powerloom Weavers' from 1st July, 2003 which is a combination of 'Janshree Bima Yojana (JBY)' and 'Add-on Group Insurance Scheme (AGIS)'. The Scheme was revised w.e.f. 1st January, 2008 and the revised Scheme was known as "Group Insurance Scheme for Powerloom Weavers". This scheme is implemented in collaboration with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.
Objective:
The basic objective of this scheme is to provide insurance cover to the powerloom weavers in the case of natural death, accidental death as well as partial and permanent disability due to accident.

1. In the event of the natural death of the member, Sum assured of ₹60,000/- will become payable to the nominee.
2. In the event of death by accident or Partial/Total Permanent Disability due to accident, the following benefit shall be payable:

• On death due to accident: ₹1,50,000/-
• Permanent total disability due to accident: ₹1,50,000/-
• Permanent partial disability due to accident: ₹75,000/-

Educational Benefits:

• An educational grant of ₹600/- per child per half year for two children studying from Class IX to Class XII for a maximum of 4 years under the Shiksha Sahayog Yojana (SSY).

Premium:
The total annual premium ₹470/- per member, will be shared as follows:

• Government of India Contribution: ₹290/-
• Workers/Weavers Contribution: ₹80/-
• Contribution from Social Security Fund: ₹100/-

• The Powerloom weavers who are between 18 to 59 years of age.
• The scheme will be universally applicable for powerloom workers/weavers irrespective of their status with reference to BPL/APL categories.
• The scheme is applicable to the families of powerloom workers engaged in the activity of weaving on powerlooms and in allied pre-weaving/preparatory activities like twisting, winding, warping and sizing.
• Self-employed weaver families owning not more than 4 looms will also be eligible.
• Family for the purpose of the scheme shall be the beneficiary and his/her spouse and only one of them shall be eligible for coverage.
• The scheme is operational on yearly basis i.e. the premium paid will cover the applicant under this insurance scheme for one year. He can continue the insurance every year during 12th Plan period by paying premium up to the age of 59 years.

Offline

Application Process
Step 1: A prospective beneficiary shall be required to fill up an application-cum-nomination form and submit the same to the nodal agency along with his share of the premium.
Step 2: The Powerloom Service Centres (PSCs), Regional Offices (RO) and Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (KSTIDC) would enroll the powerloom workers/weavers as members under the scheme, collect their premium and send the applications along with premium to the respective RO / KSTIDC as the case may be by 25th of each month.
Step 3: The premium amount should be sent to the RO / KSTIDC in the form of demand draft drawn in favour of LIC and payable at the location of the concerned jurisdictional LIC office. Step 4: The ROs and KSTIDC as the case may be, on receipt of the details and the premium, will compile the applications received from workers as one Group, along with the amount of premium received from beneficiary and submit it to the concerned Regional Office of the LIC by the last working day of the month.
Note 1: The Regional Offices (RO) of Textile Commissioner shall be the nodal agencies for implementation of this scheme except in case of Karnataka, where the nodal agency will be Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (KSTIDC), Bangalore.
Note 2: Their responsibilities include sensitising the powerloom workers/weavers about the benefits of the scheme, enrolling as many powerloom workers/weavers as possible under the scheme and facilitating them in filling the applications.
Note 3: These nodal agencies would be given the responsibility and accountability to ensure that the contribution of workers/weavers reach in time so that they are not deprived of the insurance benefits of the scheme as well as for ensuring that workers/weavers are not inconvenienced in getting their claim.
Note 4: On receipt of the list of beneficiaries along with the applications and the premium amount, the LIC would issue the master policy from the 1st day of the following calendar month.
Note 5: The premium once paid shall not be refunded.
Note 6: In the event of non-payment of the insurance premium for the next year by the member, the insurance cover shall automatically cease. The beneficiary will however be free to rejoin the scheme thereafter on payment of required premium.
Note 7: In case a powerloom worker changes his employment during the period of insurance cover from one unit to another, he / she, being the beneficiary of the scheme, shall intimate about such change to the nodal agency.
Note 8: On receipt of funds from the Government, towards its share of premium, Office of the Textile Commissioner would release the fund to the concerned Regional office of LIC, based on the number of workers enrolled during each month in the concerned region.
Claim Procedure:
Step 1: In case of death or disability, nominee/ beneficiary concerned shall submit his/ her claim to the LIC through the Nodal Agency with required documentary evidence such as death certificate/ police complaint (FIR) in the case of accident / post–mortem examination report/ medical certificate/ discharge certificate and other related documents, as applicable. (Claim Form)
Step 2: The nodal agency will arrange to forward the same along with the claim papers to LIC i.e.; the Branch which has originally finalised the insurance cover.
Step 3: LIC will settle the claims by sending A/c Payee Cheque / NEFT / RTGS directly to the beneficiary; however, intimation to this effect has to be furnished to the nodal agency concerned.