This refers to 'Another one for the people: Social support soars' (TGE, March 7). Among the social welfare benefits announced by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the State Budget 2026-27 is the increase in the health insurance cover from 2.5 lakh to 4 lakh and from 4 lakh to 6 lakh for families of 3 and 4, respectively, under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY) scheme. While this may sound encouraging, it will hardly serve to benefit all the entitled families, as it doesn't cover all types of ailments and is limited only to surgeries and major operations. It is therefore important for the Goa government to revise the scheme and increase the number of procedures to cover cashless hospitalisation for all types of ailments in all empanelled private hospitals as well as government hospitals.
