Sanjha Morcha

NOTE BY THE FIRST MD OF ECHS.* *MUST BE CIRCULATED WIDELY.*

 I was the first MD ECHS. Have read the recent exchange of correspondence and that the RM (I believe) had ordered a study by CDM. On the face of it, there’s no harm if work study experts can bring in positive change and iron out some kinks and aberrations that may have developed over the years. In any case a 10 year revaluation & re-assessment is mandatory. The pensioner ESM (including widows & family members) strength has grown from around 23 lakhs during my time to around 70 lakhs now.
    ECHS has intrinsically no structural flaws and is one of the best medical support systems in the world for pensioner ESM. I should know because I did a study of UKs HMO and of the US Veteran Health Care system – visited latters’ centers in California, and had meetings with their administrators. The idea was to compare ours with theirs, and whether we could come up with an inter-Defence Services/inter-Govt arrangement for reciprocal treatment of our pensioner ESM residing in USA. Did not fructify because of reservations of MoD.
    Anyhow, leaving that aside, let me address current concerns that ECHS may be cash strapped, or that MoD could curtail amount of treatment of an individual etc. If, what is stated in the Study paper for CDM is reflective of govt mindset, then MoD is heading down a slippery and dangerous path. There are many other issues I could comment on but, for want of time & space, will restrict my response.
    It is obvious that neither MoD nor the Central Org has studied the original CCS paper under which ECHS was raised, nor indeed comprehended the assurances of then-PM Vajpayee and RM/FM Jaswant Singh, who categorically stated, “This scheme is given to pensioner ESMs as the nations gratitude for their selfless service to the country. The scheme shall never be found wanting for money – my Govt is committed to providing whatever funds are needed now or in the future”, or words to that effect. Get them to dig up these papers. ECHS was sanctioned on 01 April 2003, after overcoming stiff resistance by babu lok of the MoD and MoF; we have to thank Mr Jaswant Singh for almost having to issue a diktat to the Fin Secy to issue the DGL on 01 April 2003! Just for information, ECHS was finalized after detailed study (1988 – 2003) of more than six different alternatives.
   We therefore, need to protect & nurture it, and prevent any manipulation of its charter/medical cover by the executive; Pensioner ESM must hold Govt accountable to its word. While RM may order any number of studies to streamline the working etc, she has NO authority to increase subscriptions, nor curtail “Demand on Accounts” to provide for ECHS services, without referring it to Cabinet and/or CCS. To my knowledge, there never was, nor is, any shortage of funds. ADG FP factors-in ECHS demands in his annual planning – so why is this rumour being spread. ECHS contributions go into the “Consolidated Fund of India”, and are not used to fund/run the scheme – latter is run on allocation of funds in the annual Defense Budget.
   As regards the contentious issue of new Cards, it appears there’s more than meets the eye. Existing cards of 16 & 32kb have NOT even utilized 10% of their capacity, so am surprised at this introduction of a 64 kb card – it too will probably land up with unutilised capacity. Question is, will we need to replace this with a 128 kb card a few years down the line? It is up to the MD ECHS to take stock of ESM concerns and do what is best for the overall community.
      I trust RM understands that, if provisions of the scheme are diluted in any manner, pensioner anger may blow over, because of ineptness of her DESW.
Regards.