32nd Meeting of SCOVA – New Agenda Items – Arrears of 18 months Freezed DA/DR, Enhancement of Additional Pension & FMA, CGHS and more

Shortage of Doctors, Specialists and Para-Medical Staff in CGHS posts due to increase in number of patients consequent on merger of Postal Dispensaries and need for creation / sanction of new posts to maintain patient and Doctor/ Para­ medical staff ratio

There is a shortage of Doctors. Specialist and Para-medical staff in many CGHS Wellness Centres. Such shortage 1s obstructing smooth functioning of CGHS. Recrui tment of staff on contract basis was resorted to but that has not sorted out the problem for many reasons.

Consequent to merger of P&T Dispensaries in CGHS and increase in the strength of beneficiaries, the strength of staff and infrastructure should be revised.

(Action: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

2.

Periodical Health check-up of pensioners

A periodical health checkup for pensioners may be conducted at least once in six months or one year, on all health parameters. This will reduce the unwanted utilization of medicine.

(Action: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

Issues related to CGHS Wellness Centre Jammu, J&K:-

(a) CGHS Wellness Centre (WC) was inaugurated at Jammu in June, 2008 and operationalised in September, 2012. Subsequently, P&T Dispensary, Jammu was merged with it in 2019. Later, serving employees within Jammu Municipal Limits were also extended CGHS facility. A large number of beneficiaries added resulting in paucity of budgetary funds and accommodation. For over 10 years, Wellness Centre is being operated from old accommodation allotted by J&K Govt, putting the beneficiaries to discomfort and problems. After the merger of P&T Dispensary (WC-IT), its staff was shifted without a Doctor, who had retired. Many members of staff also retired in a few years without any replacement. Therefore, WC-II, is non-functional. Therefore, it is requested to Operationalise of WC-II with posting of full sanctioned medical staff.

(b) Carving out a separate Additional Directorate with Headquarter at Jammu, covering Wellness Centres of Jammu, Srinagar and some adjoining Centres of Punjab as beneficiaries are facing multiple problems like too much delay in getting Medical Reimbursement Claim bill cleared.

(Action: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

Non-acceptance of Nominations of pensioners for Life-Time Arrears by the Banks

As per Payment of Arrears of Pension (Nomination) Rules, 1983, every pensioner who has retired on or before the date of commencement of these rules shall nominate any person for purpose as specified in the rules and provide such nomination to their Pension Disbursing Authority in triplicate and one copy, duly acknowledged is to be returned by the PDA to the pensioner. The same procedure is to be followed for modification in nomination. However, in many cases, when pensioners file their LTA nominations with the Pension Disbursing Authority (PDA), there is reluctance on the part of the bank staff to accept these nominations being not quite conversant with the above rules. Further, in case a nomination is accepted by the bank, the pensioner is not aware of its safe custody and its retrieval when needed because one is not sure whether it is in the system of the Bank.

It is requested that following remedial measures be taken by the authorities concerned in MOF (Banking Division) & RB to resolve these problems :

a) PDA Banks may again be advised to reiterate the instructions to their Branches to accept the Life Time Arrear Nomination Forms (A & B – as applicable), issue necessary acknowledgment, send one copy to the PSA Accounts Office and send another copy to the CPPC of the PDA for linking it to the Pensioners record on their Portal.

b) Storage of the nomination s in the system of CPPCs of the PDA.

c) Reflecting of nomination in the monthly Pension Slips issued by the PDA.

(Action: DoPPW/DFS)

5.

Holding of Pension Adalat meetings by Departments at national level.

(Action: All Ministries/Departments)

The pandemic was cited for non-payment of DA/DR for 18 months from 1.1.2020. Recently the Central Government has granted the DA/DR rise of 11% due prospectively from 1.7.2021. But unfortunately, the entire arrears for 18 months are still freezed. The pensioners and family pensioners are struggling to cope up due to rise in cost of living. Therefore, the Central Government is requested release the freezed DA/DR for 18 months to its employees and pensioners / family pensioners immediately: Payment could be made in installments, if payment in lump sum is not possible.

(Action : Department of Expenditure)

7.

Enhancement of Pension

As per the existing system, pension is revised after 10 years as per the recommendations of Pay Commission. 20 % additional pension/family pension is paid to pensioners after completion of 80 years age whose strength is very less. Maximum pensioners die within 65-75 years. Existing employees get 3% increment of their basic pay every year besides promotion and other provisions. Basic pension of pension does not changes for at least 10 years till pay commission recommendation is accepted by the Government or attending the age of 80 years. Therefore, it is requested to consider the increase in pension @ 1% every year, so that after 20 years of retirement he/she gets 20 per cent, if alive.

(ii) Alternatively , after every 5 years of retirement at the age of 60 years, 5% of pension may be enhanced which will lead to 20% after attaining age of 80 years.

(Action: DoPPW and Department of Expenditure)

8.

Enhancement of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA)

Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to pensioners residing in Non-CGHS areas was increased to Rs. 1000/- p.m. was from July, 2017 which is insufficient for purchase of .medicine every month . Cost of medicine has increased manifold after Covid-19. Hence, FMA may be increased to at least Rs. 2000/- pm.

(Action: DoPPW)

9.

Difficulties in online submission of Accounts for grants. 

Pensioners Associations are managed by senior and super-senior office-bearers. They experience a lot of difficulties in booking expenditure online and its finalisation to seek grant for next financial year. Pensioners Associations are also facing problems in updating of Aadhaar no. in Niti Ayog portal and Anudaan. Due to non-release of Grant­ in-Aid, the associations are facing financial hardships to bear the expenditure.

(Action: DoPPW)

Grant in Aid may be enhanced from Rs. 75,000 to 1.5 lakhs and the same may be released every year by the month of November.

(Action: DoPPW)

Provision of providing a laptop to identified Pensioners Association’s

A laptop may be provided to all identified Associations replacing the existing Desktops for better performance.

(Action: DoPPW)