National Insurance Trust Fund:

Over Rs. 1.1 b to compensate govt workers

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Agra Hara insurance scheme launched by the NITF is one of the biggest insurance schemes in the South Asian region and it has spent over Rs.1.1 billion to pay compensation to government workers this year. Around Rs. 95 million has been provided by them for accidents and accidental deaths, and Rs.94 million for child births. Rs.160 million has been spent for spectacles as well, NITF Chairman Senaka Abeygunasekara told the Daily News.

The National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) will provide around Rs. 2,000 million to the government treasury this year as they have done in the past three years, Abeygunasekara added. According to the NITF Chairman, there are 30 government officers who have died due to road accidents monthly and 65 percent of these have been motorbike accidents.

The NITF will introduce an e-card system for their Agra Hara insurance scheme which will be launched in the near future. With the introduction of this system there will be no need to present hospital bills. The Agra Hara insurance scheme is beneficial for the government officer as it has several benefits and they have to pay only Rs.75 per month for this insurance scheme.

About 650,000 government officers are entitled for the pension and all of them have the opportunity to benefit from the Agra Hara insurance scheme.

In addition, the chairman said they will insure the Deyata Kirula exhibition in 2012 for the fourth time for Rs.500 million. All events, exhibits and all visitors will be entitled to this insurance.