Marasur village achieves full insurance coverage for residents

A village near Bengaluru has made history by becoming the first gram panchayat in Karnataka to provide full insurance coverage for its eligible residents. Marasur, located near the Electronics City, has a population of 15,531 people. The insurances include health and life coverage under national schemes. On March 5, 2025, Latha Kumari, the CEO of Bengaluru Urban Zilla Panchayat, awarded Marasur with the title 'Sampurna Bima Gram Panchayat.' Before achieving this, the local panchayat identified that many residents lacked necessary insurance due to a lack of awareness. To address this issue, the Marasur panchayat collaborated with Christ University students. They conducted a survey that revealed 80% of residents had enrolled in insurance schemes, but 1,877 residents were still uninsured. The panchayat organized many awareness camps to encourage residents to join the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for health insurance and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) for life insurance. These schemes only cost Rs 20 and Rs 330, respectively. Residents expressed their gratitude for the efforts. Sudha, a beneficiary, noted that the initiative provided much-needed security for families. PDO Murali D of Marasur stated that many families struggled financially when a breadwinner died. Insurance coverage could prevent these hardships. The panchayat also went door-to-door with pamphlets, helping residents enroll by bringing bank officials to the village. This increased awareness helped many who were unaware of such schemes. Suma, another beneficiary, confirmed that the panchayat's efforts were crucial for her family to learn about and access health insurance.