KARACHI, Nov 13: Sindh government has decided to increase the amount of sum assured under the group insurance scheme and contribute fifty per cent of the premium amount for its employees as well as retired civil servants. The rest of the premium amount is to be paid by the employees themselves at source deduction from their monthly salaries.

The decision was taken following the directives of Governor Mohammedmian Soomro who had asked the provincial finance department to move a summary in this respect, official sources said.

Since Punjab government had raised the assured amount for its employees with effect from July 1, 2002, and there existed a great difference between the rates applicable in both the provinces, Mr Soomro had desired to review the rates in Sindh also.

The existing assured amount in Sindh for employees in BPS-1 to 4 was Rs20,000 only, for BPS-5 to 10 Rs25,000, for BPS-11 to 15 Rs50,000, BPS-16 Rs75,000, BPS-17 Rs1,00,000, BPS-18 Rs150,000, BPS-19 Rs175,000, BPS-20 and above Rs2,00,000.

The increased rates in Punjab were Rs1,20,000, Rs140,000, Rs240,000, Rs360,000, Rs480,000, Rs7,00,000, Rs840,000 and Rs10,00,000, respectively.

The Punjab government, however, discontinued the 100 per cent contribution of premium in respect of its employees in BPS-1 to 15 and has now adopted the policy of contributing one-fourth of the total premium of the employees in BPS-1 to 4. The remaining three-fourth of the premium are to be paid through deductions from their monthly salaries.

Whereas the government employees in BPS-5 and above are liable to pay full amount of premium through deduction from their salaries.

However, in Sindh, the provincial government will contribute fifty per cent of the premium amount for the employees in BPS-1 to 15 as desired by the governor, who has also directed the finance and health departments and other concerned authorities to examine introducing health insurance scheme for the civil servants.

The remaining fifty per cent premium contribution to be paid by the employees through at-source-deduction will be as under:

BPS-1 to 4: assured sum Rs1,20,000, annual premium Rs432, monthly premium Rs36. BPS-5 to 10: assured sum Rs1,40,000, annual premium Rs504, monthly premium Rs42. BPS-11 to 15: assured sum Rs2,40,000, annual premium Rs864, monthly premium Rs72.

BPS-16: assured sum Rs3,60,000, annual premium Rs1296, monthly premium Rs108. BPS-17: assured sum Rs4,80,000, annual premium Rs1728, monthly premium Rs144. BPS-18: assured sum Rs7,00,000, annual premium Rs2520, monthly premium Rs210.

BPS-19: assured sum Rs8,40,000, annual premium Rs3024, monthly premium Rs252. BPS-20 and above: assured sum Rs10,00,000, annual premium Rs3600, monthly premium Rs300.—PPI