Agartala: The Tripura government will introduce a health insurance scheme for daily wage earners and those in the unorganised sector, a minister said Saturday.

"About 742,200 unorganised labourers would be covered under the proposed health insurance scheme," said Tripura Labour and Urban Development Minister Manik Dey.

According to the 2001 census, the total number of workforce in the state was 1.16 million and 95 percent of them are in the unorganised sectors like agriculture, construction, transport, shops and establishments, brick kiln, rubber cultivation, and bidi industry.

"Under this health insurance scheme each family, comprising five members, living below the poverty line would get free health treatment equivalent to Rs.30,000 per year," Dey told IANS.

He said each eligible family would have to collect a smart card after registering their names with the insurance company and paying a one-time fee of Rs.30.

The minister said that the state government would soon select the insurance company, which would subsequently sign an agreement with the health service provider.