PM’s Health Insurance Scheme for journalists, artists historic step of Shehbaz Sharif: Marriyum

Marriyum gives credit to PM Shehbaz for ‘stabilising economy’

ISLAMABAD_Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the health insurance scheme for journalists and artists was a historic decision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed on Thursday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had stabilised the country’s economy.

Addressing an event to mark the inauguration of the Bhara Kahu bypass project, Aurangzeb said: “The initiation of mega projects in the short tenure of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is no less than a miracle”.

“The incumbent government has brought the country out of a crisis,” she asserted.

Aurangzeb said: “With the inauguration of the mega project, the people of Galyat, Kashmir, Murree, and Hazara will appreciate and remember Shehbaz Sharif”.

Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Aurangzeb said: “The Bhara Kahu project could be completed in 10 months under the coalition government. But why was it not completed in four years?”

While addressing the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and State Life Insurance Corporation for the health insurance of journalists and artists here Thursday, she said that the prime minister took a historic decision for the health insurance of journalists and artists, which was starting from today, for the first time in the history of Pakistan.

She said that Rs 1 billion had been allocated for each category of journalists and artists from all over Pakistan in the current fiscal year. She said that the prime minister had issued directives that the money allocated in the budget for journalists and artists should not be limited to announcements only but practical steps should be taken on this project.

The minister said that the registration for health insurance was started two weeks ago for journalists and media workers and one week ago for artists.

She said that the foundation of the health insurance card scheme was laid during the Nawaz Sharif tenure as prime minister. She said that keeping in mind the experience of State Life Insurance Corporation, the Ministry of Information was going to issue health insurance cards for journalists and artists community.

The minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will issue health insurance cards on August 7 to both journalists and artists. Marriyum said that in a short period of 15 months, the government had done important legislation for the welfare of journalists, linking their minimum wages with government business. She said that health facilities would be provided to journalists in the form of health insurance cards.

The federal minister said that various surgeries including renal surgery, heart surgery and cardiac surgery including indoor and outdoor medical facilities were covered under the health insurance scheme while ambulance service would also be provided under this card.

She said that many value additions have also been done by State Life Insurance in the scheme. Marriyum Aurangzeb said that along with health insurance scheme, the welfare of journalists and artists had also been arranged by the incumbent government.

She said that in a short period of 15 months, Rs 120 million have been recovered and paid to newspaper employees in the form of salaries, while health insurance including job security of media workers has been started.