Over two-and-a-half lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) families would be provided Smart Cards under the health insurance scheme in Himachal Pradesh by the end of this month, the state government has told the assembly.

There are 2.58 lakh BPL families in HP and all of them would be provided with smart card under the 'Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna' (National Health Insurance Scheme) by March 31, health minister Rajeev Bindal said in reply to a question on Thursday.

The ambitious health scheme which provides benefits up to Rs 30,000 for hospitalisation and day care surgeries including maternity benefit to the BPL families is in operation across the hill state, he added.

The scheme which started from Shimla and Kangra from January 2009 as pilot project has been expanded to all the 12 districts of HP in the second phase starting from March 2, 2010, Bindal said.

As part of preparation of smart card under the scheme at war-footing, 42,923 cards have already been prepared and rest would be completed by March end, he added.

Besides, the state government has extended additional benefits to BPL families for covering critical illness like heart ailment and kidney expenses up to Rs 1.75 lakh the minister said adding additional premium to the tune of Rs 10.84 crore is being paid for the same.

As an incentive, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has announced an award of Rs five lakh for panchayats at district level excelling in preparation of the smart card, the minister added.