In what is touted to be the first such scheme in the country, the Tamil Nadu Government is chalking out plans to give insurance cover for all school children in the state. The Minister for school education K A Sengottaiyan made an announcement to this effect, reports ToI.
According to reports, the scheme was being planned as Tamil Nadu accounted for the largest number of road accidents in the country. The state reportedly comes on top in the number of accidents near educational institutions such as schools and colleges with 5,010 cases in 2016 killing 1,207 people. However it is not clear if the insurance will only be for children from government schools or if it will cover all institutions.
“The insurance for students is being planned for the first time in the country and discussions are on with chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. An announcement will be made soon,“ he told ToI.
There are reportedly over 1.4 crore government school students in the state.
Even in September, a school boy and a college student were killed in an accident near Solar on Erode – Karur Road when they were returning from a coaching centre on a two wheeler.