Bima Sakhis Yojana – Empowering Women Through Insurance Awareness bima saki
In rural India, a large section of the population lacks access to life insurance. Women, especially in remote areas, remain unaware of the security insurance can provide. To bridge this gap, the Bima Sakhis Yojana was introduced as a women-centric scheme aimed at empowering Self Help Group (SHG) members by training them as grassroots insurance facilitators.
2. What is Bima Sakhis Yojana?
Bima Sakhis Yojana is an initiative launched under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and the Ministry of Rural Development, in partnership with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). The scheme identifies and trains women from SHGs as “Bima Sakhis” – insurance assistants who create awareness and facilitate insurance enrollment at the village level.
3. Objectives of the Scheme
- Promote insurance literacy among rural communities.
- Appoint and train SHG women as Bima Sakhis.
- Increase coverage under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).
- Enable economic empowerment of women.
- Reduce the protection gap in life and accident insurance.
4. Who is a Bima Sakhi?
A Bima Sakhi is a trained SHG woman who acts as a resource person to:
- Educate rural people about insurance schemes.
- Help enroll individuals in PMJJBY/PMSBY.
- Support families in claiming benefits in case of a death or accident.
She acts as a bridge between insurance providers and rural people.
5. Key Features of Bima Sakhis Yojana
- Only SHG women selected.
- Intensive 3-day or 5-day training.
- No prior insurance knowledge required.
- Linked to both PMJJBY and PMSBY.
- Operates within NRLM framework.
- Offers incentives per enrollment or claim assistance.
6. Eligibility Criteria for Bima Sakhis
To become a Bima Sakhi, a woman must:
- Be a member of an SHG under NRLM.
- Be between 18 to 50 years of age.
- Have at least basic literacy (can read and write).
- Be active and respected in her community.
- Be willing to work regularly and travel locally.
7. Roles and Responsibilities of Bima Sakhis
- Raise awareness about PMJJBY & PMSBY.
- Assist villagers in filling forms and documentation.
- Collect premiums and deposit them through proper channels.
- Help nominee families claim benefits.
- Maintain records of enrollments and claims.
- Coordinate with banks, insurance officers, and SHG federations.
8. Training of Bima Sakhis
- Provided by LIC officers in partnership with NRLM teams.
- Topics include:
- Basics of insurance
- Details of PMJJBY/PMSBY
- How to fill forms, verify documents
- How to support during claim process
- Communication and awareness-building skills
- Training duration: 3–5 days.
- Certificates provided on completion.
9. Benefits of the Yojana
For the Community:
- Increased awareness of government insurance schemes.
- Higher insurance coverage.
- Help in timely claims and documentation.
For Bima Sakhis:
- Regular income through incentives.
- Recognition and respect in society.
- Financial independence.
- Upskilled with insurance literacy.
10. How the Scheme Helps Rural Women
This Yojana helps SHG women by:
- Providing a part-time job opportunity in their own village.
- Offering exposure to banking and insurance networks.
- Increasing their confidence and leadership.
- Making them agents of social security.
11. Implementation Strategy
- Identification of SHG women through Village Organizations (VOs).
- Training organized at block level by NRLM and LIC.
- Deployment in villages through cluster-based models.
- Monitoring by Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and block coordinators.
12. Performance & Outreach
- Thousands of Bima Sakhis trained across Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and more.
- Significant increase in PMJJBY & PMSBY enrollments.
- Improved claim settlement ratio.
- Reduced dependency on external agents.
13. Challenges and Limitations
- Lack of digital access in remote areas.
- Low awareness about benefits of insurance.
- Initial hesitation from families.
- Delay in claims due to documentation issues.
14. Success Stories
In Madhya Pradesh, a Bima Sakhi named Sarla Devi helped 500+ people enroll in PMJJBY and guided 10 families to claim ₹2 lakh each after unfortunate deaths.
In Jharkhand, Aarti Kumari became a role model after earning ₹5000/month by helping her community get insured.
15. Integration with SHGs and NRLM
- Bima Sakhis are drawn from SHG members already engaged in community mobilization.
- The program is part of NRLM’s broader mission of women-led development.
- Support structure includes Cluster-Level Federations (CLFs) and Village Organizations (VOs).
16. Role of LIC and Insurance Companies
- LIC is the nodal agency to provide:
- Insurance training
- Scheme execution
- Claim processing support
- Other private/public insurers may join the model in the future.
17. Financial Incentives for Bima Sakhis
- Paid ₹10 to ₹30 per enrollment.
- Paid for claim facilitation (~₹100 per case).
- May also receive performance bonuses.
- Some states offer a fixed stipend for active Bima Sakhis.
18. Future Plans and Expansion
- Aim to scale Bima Sakhi model to all 28 states.
- Inclusion of digital tools for real-time enrollment.
- Possible linkage with Jan Dhan and ABHA health cards.
- Training them to assist in health insurance claims (like Ayushman Bharat).
19. How to Apply
If you’re a woman in an SHG and want to become a Bima Sakhi:
- Contact your Village Organization (VO) or Block Mission Unit.
- Attend an orientation session.
- Submit a short form with your SHG details.
- Join the next Bima Sakhi training batch.
- Start working with LIC or local banks after training.
20. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is there any educational qualification needed?
Only basic literacy (reading/writing) is required.
Q2: Can Bima Sakhis work outside their village?
Generally, they operate within their Gram Panchayat or block.
Q3: How are they paid?
Through bank transfers via SHG federations, based on their performance.
Q4: Can men become Bima Sakhis?
No. This scheme is designed only for women SHG members under NRLM.
Q5: Is this a government job?
No. This is a voluntary, incentive-based role, not a regular government position.
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The Bima Sakhis Yojana is a visionary step toward financial inclusion and social empowerment. By training women to become insurance facilitators, the government is not only ensuring insurance coverage in rural areas but also enabling women to earn, lead, and influence. As India moves towards inclusive development, such community-driven models will play a crucial role.