Issues relating to CGHS Wellness Centre Jammu, J&K: Minutes of the 32nd Meeting of SCOVA

No. 42/05/2022-P&PW(D)
भारत सरकार/Government of India
Ministry of Personnel , Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi- 110003
Date:- 20th May 2022

Minutes of the 32nd Meeting of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) held on 12.04.2022 under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble MOS(PP) at Sardar Patel Bhawan, New Delhi.

Previous Agenda: (32.2) Periodical Health check-up of pensioners

(32.3) Issues relating to CGHS Wellness Centre Jammu, J&K:-

The Central Government Pensioners Welfare Association, Jammu raised the following issues:

(a) CGHS Wellness Centre (WC) at Jammu was inaugurated 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. Addition of a large number of beneficiaries resulted in paucity of budgetary funds and accommodation. For more than 10 years, the Wellness Centre is being operated from the old accommodation allotted by J&K Govt, putting the beneficiaries to discomfort and problems. After the merger of P&T Dispensary (WC-II), 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.

(b) A separate Additional Directorate with Headquarter at Jammu may be sanctioned for covering Wellness Centres of Jammu, Srinagar and some adjoining Centres of Punjab, as beneficiaries are facing problem of delay in getting Medical Reimbursement Claim bills cleared from the office of Additional Director at Chandigarh.

Discussion/Decision on the agenda item

Ministry of Health & FW informed that Jammu has a total of 4,512 beneficiaries registered under CGHS. Out of this, 2,046 are pensioners and 2,466 are serving. The average patient seen per day comes to 148. Presently, 2 Medical Officers are working at CGHS, Jammu. The strength of doctors is adequate to take care of the patients availing treatment at the dispensary.
In 2013, when postal dispensaries were taken over, one of them was a non- functional dispensary at Jammu. It had a dilapidated building which was unfit to house a dispensary. Since, then efforts have been continuously made to find a suitable accommodation. State (now UT) Government has also not been able to offer any building. Also, no other Central Government Department has been able to provide any suitable accommodation. As soon as a building is available, the Wellness Centre will start functioning.

CGHS Wellness Centre in Jammu is under the administrative control of Additional Director, Chandigarh. At present, 74 CGHS covered cities outside Delhi are under the administrative control of 23 Additional Directors. On an average, each Additional Director is looking after 8-10 Wellness Centres. Therefore, it is not possible at this stage to appoint a full-fledged Additional Director for every CGHS city and that too with only two Wellness Centres. The proposal will be examined as and when it is found feasible.

(Action: Ministry of Health & FW)

Next Agenda: (32.4) -Non-acceptance of Nominations of pensioners for Life-Time Arrears by the Banks 

View Full: Minutes of the 32nd SCOVA meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble MOS(PP) on 12.04.2022, at Sardar Patel Bhawan, New Delhi