Parlimentary Standing Committee Report on Medical facilities and Additional Pension
Extracts from the Report (compiled by our senior VP Com DG)
Recently some reports appeared in print media on the above subject and the same was circulated in what‟s app groups. Though it is a fact let us understand that it is only a recommendation and it can be implemented only if the Govt. accepts it.
As per Rule 277 of Parlimentary procedures “the report of a Standing
Committee shall have persuasive value and shall be treated as considered advice given by the Committee”.
Department of Pension has to consult Department of Expenditure and it has to submit „Action taken report‟ to the committee.
Parlimentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice headed by Shri Sushil Kumar Modi (Rajya Sabha MP) submitted its
110th report which was presented in the Rajya Sabha on 10/12/2021. It was
laid on the table of Lok Sabha on the same day.
There are 30 MPs (10 from Rajya Sabha & 20 from Lok Sabha) in the committee. Three MPs ( S/shri A.Raja, Manickam Tagore & P Wilson) are in the committee from Tamilnadu.
Names of other Members are given below:-
From Rajya Sabha
1. Shri Deepender Singh Hooda
2. Shri Mahesh Jethmalani
3. Dr Sasmit Patra
4. Shri Sukhendu Sekhar Ray
5. Shri K R Suresh Reddy
6. Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla
7. Shri Vivek K tankha
8. Shri Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar
From Lok Sabha
1. Shri Kalyan Banerjee
2. Shri Pradan Baruah
3. Shri Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta
4. Shri Pradeep Kumar Chaudhary
5. Shri Vinod Chavda
6. Shrimati Veena Devi
7. Shri Jasbir Singh Gill
8. Shri Choudhury Mohan Jatua
9. Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal „Nishank‟
10. Shri Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju
11. Shri Jyotirmay Singh Mahato
12. Shri Malook Nagar
13. Shri Suresh Pujari
14. Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar
15. Shri Upendra Singh Rawat
16. Shrimati Sandhya Ray
17. Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma
18. Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky
The purpose of giving the names of MPs is to approach them during the next session of parliament whenever they visit the constituency and request them to take its recommendations to the logical end.
Regarding Medical Facilities
Para 3.19 –
The Committee notes that despite favourable decision of apex Court in a
number of cases, all the expenditure incurred by a beneficiary of CGHS on his
or her treatment in non-empanelled Private Hospitals should be reimbursed to the beneficiary, the Govt. has not yet issued any general instructions in this regard and the pensioners/beneficiaries have to approach the Court of law
for justice by spending a lot of money and time. The Committeee believes that rules and procedures are just a means to achieve a larger goal i.e. welfare of pensioners and they should not become an end in themselves.
Strict adherence and conformity to norms, rules and procedures might lead
to a situation where strictly following these norms, rules and procedures instead of being means, become ends in themselves which create stumbling
blocks in achieving mandated objectives/ends. The Committee is of the view there may be exigencies when the old age pensioners may directly approach
non-empannelled hospitals for treatment without first approaching a Govt.
Hospital. They should not be deprived of their rightful entitlements under any circumstances. The Committee recommends the Department to play a pro-
active role and pursue the matter with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Committee also recommends the Department to seek details of
action taken by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on the judgements of
the Apex Court in this regard and furnish them to the Committee in its Action
Taken Replies.
Para 3.20 –
The Committee is in agreement with the views of Pensioners‟ Associations
that CGHS should not confine its operations to metro cities, state capitals and a few large urban centres only. The Govt. may explore opening of CGHS centres at district locations or designate already functional Govt. hospital in district headquarters as CGHS Centres to provide treatment to CGHS
beneficiaries. The Govt. may also include settlement of medical facility related grievances of pensioners on the portal of CPENGRAMS as requested by pensioners and the DoP&PW should work in tandem with Health Ministry in
this regard.
Para 3.21
The Committee takes note of the fact that Fixed Medical Allowance is granted to pensioners who reside outside the CGHS areas for meeting expenditure on day-to-day medical expenses (OPD) that do not require hospitalization. The
Committee also takes note of the request of Pensioners‟ Associations for enhancement of Fixed Medical Allowance from Rs.1000 to Rs.3000 per month
as most pensioners are suffering from different diseases at old age and are unable to manage with meager pension as CGHS hospital is not available in every town. The Committee recommends DoP&PW to take up this issue of
enhancement of FMA with the Finance Ministry as Rs.1000 is a very meager amount for an old age pensioner and apprise the views of the Finance
Ministry to the Committee in its Action Taken Replies.
Para 3.22 –
The Committee takes note of the difficulties faced by pensioners in surrendering their Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) and getting FMA
Surrender Certificate to avail CGHS indoor & outdoor (OPD) facilities, and, accordingly, recommends DoP&PW and CGA that the procedural loopholes
coming in this way should be plugged and ensure that all such pensioners should get FMA Surrender Certificates in a hassle free manner through online
mode under intimation to the bank concerned and a timeline should be fixed
in this regard.
Para 3.23 –
The Committee notes that the Central Govt. provides health care facilities for both, serving as well as, retired employees. However, the Committee
observes that serving employees of Central Govt. are covered under the
Central Service (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944 (CSMA Rules), which
provides facilities for availing medical facilities outside CGHS covered areas.
However, these Rules are not applicable to pensioners, and instead
pensioners residing outside CGHS covered area are entitled to FMA. The
Committee is of the view that non-applicability of CSMA Rules to pensioners
residing outside CGHS areas has placed them at disadvantaged position vis-
à -vis serving employees. Accordingly, the Committee feels that either the
provisions for medical facilities available to serving employees also needs to
be extended to pensioners or instead of increasing FMA year after year,
DoP&PW may moot a proposal for introducing cashless health insurance
facilities for such pensioners in nearby Private Health Centre in lieu of FMA
on voluntary basis.
Regarding Additional Pension
Para 3.28 –
The Committee is very much cognizant of the social churning taking place in
our society over the years. The joint family system is breaking down giving
way to nuclear families. The growth of nuclear families due to geographical
and social mobility have further led to rise in individualism and individualistic
thinking and the generation who want to live away from shackles of joint
families and patronage of elderly parents or grandparents. According to one
estimate, by 2050, the share of population over the age of 60 is likely to
increase significantly in the country. In view of such changes at societal
level, we need to have a robust pension system for elderly which can help
them survive in this world without being a burden on anyone. The Committee
is of the view that the Govt. should sympathetically consider the demand of
Pensioners‟ Associations for 5% additional quantum of pension on attaining
the age of 65 years, 10% on 70 years, 15% on 75 years and 20% on 80 years to
the pensioners. The Committee recommends DoP&PW to pursue vigorously
with Finance Ministry and apprise the Committee of the outcome.
