Personal accident cover for plantation sector

The personal accident insurance (PAI) scheme for the plantation growers, conceived by the Union commerce ministry, will be shortly launched in the south.

The scheme, aimed at helping coffee, tea and rubber sectors, would be launched at the 114th annual conference of United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI), to be held at Coonoor in Nilgiris on September 17.

J K Thomas, president, UPASI said the scheme would benefit plantation sectors in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which are grappling with low or volatile price realisation and rising labour cost.

The scheme is an extension and modification of the Price Stabilisation Fund Trust (PSFT), announced recently by the commerce ministry for coffee, tea and rubber growers, having land holdings up to four hectares. The scheme covers both growers and permanent plantation workers.

The insurance cover for the scheme has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 25,000 for both growers and permanent workers deployed on such plantations, in case of death and permanent disability. The premium is to be shared on 50:50 basis between the beneficiary (growers) and PSFT.

According to UPASI, there are about 60,000 growers and 3.49 lakh workers in tea gardens.