Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 24
The reduction in the staff strength in government offices to contain the Covid-19 outbreak will not affect the payment of defence pensions or the issue of new payment orders for those retiring this month.
The payment of pension for the month of March 2020, issue of pension payment orders (PPO) for personnel retiring on March 31 and the issue of the PPO in case of death have been listed as essential services in orders issued by the Controller General of Defence Accounts on March 23.
As part of the measures being implemented to mitigate the spread of Covid, the Defence Accounts Department as well as other government departments are required to function with a skeletal staff on a rotational basis from March 23 to March 31.
The orders, however, make it clear that essential work of the department is not to be affected by reduction in staff. Pay and allowances, accounts and budget, payments, IT and computer systems and pension sanction have been listed as essential services.
Meanwhile, members of the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) who are undergoing long-term treatment for lifestyle diseases have been allowed to purchase medicines from any chemist shop instead of going to the ECHS polyclinic.
A circular issued by the ECHS Central Organisation yesterday states that veterans can purchase their monthly quota of all medicines for April as per their prescription and they will be reimbursed for it after May 15. This has been done keeping in view the guidelines on social distancing issued by the World Health Organisation and check crowding at the ECHS polyclinics.
Veterans have also been advised to avoid visiting polyclinics except in case of an emergency. Routine medical examination, blood pressure checks and physiotherapy have been suspended at some places. Strict procedures have also been laid down for dealing with dental and oral disorders.
ECHS to reimburse for April medicines
- Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) members have been allowed to purchase medicines from any chemist shop instead of going to the ECHS polyclinic.
- They can purchase their monthly quota of medicines for April as per their prescription and they will be reimbursed for it after May 15.