ANNUAL VALIDATION OF ECHS MEMBERSHIP OF DEPENDENTS BY SUBMISSION OF LIFE CERTIFICATE AND ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS BY PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES

ECHS Dependent Declaration

Central Organisation ECHS
Adjutant General’s Branch
Integrated Headquarters of
MoD (Army), Thimayya Marg,

Near Gopinath Circle,
Delhi Cantt- 110 010

B/49711- NSC/AG/ ECHS/ Gen Corr

06 Jul 2022

ANNUAL VALIDATION OF ECHS MEMBERSHIP OF DEPENDENTS BY SUBMISSION OF LIFE CERTIFICATE AND ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS BY PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES

1. References:-
(a) Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49711-SC/AG/ECHS dated 10 Feb 2017.
(b) Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49701-PR/AG/ECHS/2017 dated 2/ Sep 2017.
(c) Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49701-PR/AG/ECHS/2017 dated 16 Nov 2017. (Not to all)
(d) Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49711-NewSmartCard/AG/ECHS dated 29 Apr 2019.
(e) Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49701-PR/AG/ECHS/2020 dated 11 Aug 2020.

2. A detailed letter giving out the eligibility criteria to become an ECHS member was promulgated to the environment vide letter under ref at Para 1(b) & 1(c) above. The environment was informed of the documents to be checked as a proof of income to establish the eligibility of dependents and the procedure to be adopted vide letters referred to at Para 1(a), 1(d) & 1(e). The procedure so far followed was manual. However, an IT enabled procedure has now been formulated so as to enable beneficiaries to submit the documents related to eligibility conditions with ease.

3. It is proposed to obtain Annual Life Certificate for all beneficiaries and Eligibility Certificate for all dependents from the primary beneficiaries. The Annual Life Certificate of the Primary Beneficiary who is earning pension is proposed to be linked with Project SPARSH, Comprehensive Pension Package (CPP) from where the Life Certificate for ESM/Primary Beneficiary is envisaged to be automatically populated in the ECHS database. Pending the linking of SPARSH with ECHS, the primary beneficiaries and their spouses will not be required to submit the Annual Life Certificate. However, in case of demise of the primary beneficiary or the spouse, actions will be taken as per Central Org letter No B/49711-NSC/AG/ECHS dt 16 Jul 2021.

4. The details of the procedure for providing Annual Life Certificate and Eligibility Certificate for the dependents by the Primary Beneficiary are given in the succeeding paragraphs.

Actions By The Primary Beneficiary

5. A system generated warning message will be suitably displayed to submit Life Certificate and Eligibility documents of dependents who are 64KB ECHS card holders on completion of 11 months after the date of collection of the cards for the first time or previous renewal/ verification in the following manner :-

• (a) When a Beneficiary Visits Any Polyclinic and Authenticates Himself/Herself on the Kiosk. A warning message will be displayed to the beneficiary to update supporting documents online to confirm life certificate and/or eligibility by a specific date.
• (b) When Primary Beneficiary will login to ECHS Website/ Portal echs.sourceinfosys.com using Login Credentials. Details of cards due for renewal will be displayed for which necessary documents will have to be uploaded online.
• (c) The same info as per Para 5 (b) above can also be accessed on the ECHS Mobile App on opening the Mobile App and logging in.
• (d) The date of next Annual Validation due will also be mentioned on the Medical Officer’s prescription obtained from ECHS Polyclinic.

6. It will be the responsibility of the Primary Beneficiary to upload Annual Life Certificate and documents for establishing the Eligibility to ensure validity of 64 KB ECHS Card. Primary Beneficiary to submit the following documents online :-

(a) Life Certificate by Primary Beneficiary For Self and Spouse. The Primary Beneficiary will not be required to provide Annual Life Certificate for self and spouse. The Annual Life Certificate for the Primary Beneficiary will be obtained through SPARSH, CPP Portal as and when the software solution for the same is implemented. In case of demise of Primary Beneficiary or the spouse, action should be taken to block the card as per instructions promulgated vide Central Org letter No B/49711-NSC/AG/ECHS dated 16 Jul 2021.

(b) Life Certificate and Eligibility Certificate for Dependents.

• (i) The Primary beneficiary will provide Life Certificate and Eligibility Certificate for all his/ her dependents including White Card Holders, if any.
• (ii) The Primary beneficiary will select the dependent and then select an option i.e., PAN Card available/ not available from the dropdown menu.
• (iii) In case PAN Card is available for the chosen dependent, then any one of the following documents will be uploaded :-
• (aa) Form 26AS for preceding two consecutive financial years.
• (ab) ITR V (Income Tax Return Verification or the Acknowledgement) of preceding two consecutive financial years.
• (iv) In case PAN Card is not available for the chosen dependent, then the Primary Beneficiary will upload an Income Certificate obtained from the State Revenue Department. It is, however, desirable that all beneficiaries should have PAN Card.
• (v) The Primary beneficiary will satisfy himself/ herself that the income of the dependents is not more than INR 9000/- (Excluding DA) PM for all dependents other than parents and spouse. Incase of parents, the combined income of father and mother should not exceed Rs 9000/- (Excluding DA) PM.
• (vi) The Primary beneficiary will thereafter submit online declaration for all dependents which will be auto populated. A declaration as per format given at Appx A will be submitted by clicking the check box ‘I Agree’.

7. Action by OIC Parent Polyclinic. OIC Parent Polyclinic will be given a tab on his OIC Module to approve the Eligibility and Life Certificate. The OIC will use digital signature and click on the eligibility tab and carry out following actions:-

• (a) The OIC Polyclinic will scrutinize the Form 26AS/ITR/Income Certificate uploaded online. In case the dependents meet the income criteria, then the Life Certificate will be approved and in case the income of the dependents is more than the prescribed limit, the Life Certificate will be rejected online with remarks.
• (b) In case the dependent has been using ECHS facilities when he/ she was having income more than authorized income, then such cases be referred to respective Directors Regional Centres to process case with Vigilance Sec of CO, ECHS.

8. Extension of Validity: ECHS Card. Once the actions as above are completed by the OIC, the validity of all 64 KB ECHS cards which have been approved by OIC Parent Polyclinic will be further extended by 12 months. Those cards which have been rejected by OIC Parent Polyclinic will get blocked on completion of 12 months from date of issue/date of last successful verification.

9. Expired ECHS Card. In case the Primary beneficiary, due to unavoidable circumstances, fails to get the Annual Validation completed and the card gets blocked, the OIC Parent Polyclinic will be authorized to extend the validity of the card by three months after satisfying himself of the bonafide eligibility of the concerned dependents. This provision will be available only once in the life cycle of the card. The Primary beneficiary will have to undertake the procedure for Annual Validation of the 64 KB cards in this extended period of three months. In case, any card is required to be unblocked, a case will be taken up by the Primary Beneficiary by submitting an application justifying the reasons to the Central Org ECHS through Parent Polyclinic and Regional Centre for approval. Post approval of the competent authority, the card will be unblocked by uploading authority by Central Org.

10. Date of Implementation. Many 64 KB ECHS Cards have been handed over to the beneficiaries in last two years. Hence, to ensure smooth process, provide sufficient time and avoid rush at Polyclinics, this warning will start from 01 Aug 2022. The window for uploading the documents will remain open up to 31 Oct 2022 i.e. for three months. The commencement for blocking the ineligible cards will take place with effect from 01 Nov 2022.

11. Revival of ECHS Membership Based on Income Criteria. Dependents of Primary beneficiary who were earlier denied ECHS membership due to their income being more than INR 9000/- (excluding DA) may apply for membership again, if the income has again become less than INR 9000/- (excluding DA) for consecutive two years. The proof of the same will be obtained from Form 26AS/ Income Certificate from State Govt. Revenue Dept.

(Anupam Agarwal)
Brig
Dy MD ECHS
For MD ECHS

Appendix ‘A‘

Dependent Declaration

Declaration in English Language:

• For Dependents: I, the deponent, do hereby solemnly declare that my  (Relation to ESM) Name (Name of Selected Beneficiary) holding ECHS Card is alive and fully dependent on ESM/ Primary Beneficiary. His/her monthly income less is than Rs. 9000 (Excluding DA).
• Common Declaration: I certify that the above declaration is true to the best of my knowledge and belief, and nothing material has been concealed or suppressed there from. This electronic self-declaration has been given with reference to IT Act 2000 and is admissible under The Indian Evidence Act 1872.
• I am well aware of the fact that if the information given by me is proved false / not true at any point of time, I will have to face punishment as per any provision of Law for the time being in force as well as the benefit availed of by me or the benefit accrued to me shall be summarily canceled.

Either of the below Declaration based on Availability of PAN Card:

• His/her PAN Card is available & Form 26AS for previous two years will be produced before the competent authority.
• His/her PAN Card is not available. I will produce income certificate from the state revenue department to the competent authority.