BMC mulls over accident insurance policy for its students

Though there is already a state government provision of accidental insurance policy for students from Class I to post graduation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) education committee is of the opinion that they should have a separate insurance policy for their own students.

Education committee chairman Ritu Tawde will soon be writing a letter to BMC commissioner Ajoy mehta in this regard. The move has come following the death of a seven-year-old student in an accident on the Andheri-Ghatkopar Link Road near Laxmi Nagar on February 25. The deceased was crossing the road with his 12-year-old brother when they were hit by a private school bus.

Students often meet with accidents across the city and the state, but very few are aware that they can get financial help from the state, as they are insured by the government every year. According to a BMC official, the state's accidental insurance scheme is available to students across the state but the amount is very less. Hence, the education committee members have discussed the possibility of having an insurance policy for BMC students.

Chairman Tawde said, "Even today there is a provision of funds for BMC students who meet with unfortunate accidents. Those funds can be obtained through education officer or assistant municipal commissioner. For example, I helped a student get Rs3 lakh from these funds. But the procedure is lengthy. BMC doesn't have a separate insurance scheme for our students right now."

She added, "In a BMC budget meeting this year, we discussed an insurance policy for our students in front of the higher authorities. They were also positive about it. But there was no mention of the policy in the budget 2016-17.

So, I am meeting with the BMC chief as well as additional municipal commissioner Pallavi Darade with a letter. I will write in my letter that such a policy will help our BMC students during a crisis."