West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced that senior sports personalities who have retired from playing would be brought under the 'Swasthya Sathi' insurance scheme.
 

The CM said, once the senior sporting personalities are included in the scheme, they would be eligible for Rs.5 lakh health cover at private medical establishments. "Nobody thinks about the senior sports personalities or those who have retired from playing. I think we must think about them. I can advise to bring them (senior players and those those who have retired from playing) under the Swasthya Sathi scheme," Banerjee said.

The chief minister was speaking at a state government organised programme to honour outstanding sports personalities under the 'Khelasree' scheme at the Netaji Indoor Stadium this afternoon. She also directed principal secretary of the sports department to speak to the finance secretary in this regard.

Launched in December 2016 by the chief minister, the scheme provides basic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to Rs. 1.5 lakh per annum. It covers critical illness such as cancer, neurosurgeries, cardiothoracic surgeries, liver diseases, blood disorders up to Rs. 5 lakh through assurance mode. The chief minister also handed over cheques and awards including the lifetime achievement award to several sports personalities as a recognition of their achievements in their respective fields.