INDIAN RAILWAYS TECHNICAL SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION
(Estd. 1965, Regd. No.1329, Website http://irtsa.net)

M. Shanmugam,
Central President, IRTSA
# 4, Sixth Street, TVS Nagar, Padi,
Chennai – 600050.
Email- cpirtsa@yahoo.com
Mob:09443140817

Harchandan Singh,
General Secretary, IRTSA,
C.Hq. 32, Phase 6, Mohali,
Chandigarh-160055.
Email gsirtsa@ yahoo.com
(Ph: 0172-2228306, 9316131598)

No: IRTSA/CHQ/Memo .2020-13

Date: 27.11.2020

DIRECTOR GENERAL (HR)
Railway Board
New Delhi

Sub: PROPOSAL OF MEDICAL INSURANCE SCHEME FOR RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Ref: 1) Railway Board letter No.E(W)2020/Misc/ Dashboard-GIS, dated 27.10.2020
2) Railway Board order No.ERB-1I/2020/23/30, dated 20.10.2020.

1) Ministry of Railways constituted a committee to examine and tender their recommendations to bring all Railway Employees under the Medical Insurance Scheme for obtaining treatment in private hospitals. IRTSA submits the following for the kind consideration of Railway Board,

2) Indian Railways Medical Service (IRMS) is spread across the length and breadth of the country. IRMS is having 125 hospitals and 586 dispensaries, manned by 33,300 medical staff catering to approximately 66 lakh beneficiaries including 12.27 lakh serving employees. In the year 2018-19 Railway Hospitals treated 2.01 crore OPD patients, 5.08 lakh in-patients and performed 1.02 lakh major and specialty surgeries.

7th CPC Transport Allowance and DA granted for Indian Railway Medical Service (IRMS) officers drawing Grade Pay of Rs.10,000/- under DACP Scheme

3) Railway Hospitals performed pre-placement medical examination for 38,000 candidates and carried out periodical medical examination for 1.14 lakh employees. They also examined 12.51 lakh food and water samples.

4) Indian Railways total medical services expenses for the year 2018-19 including cost of medical staff is Rs. 6888.34 crore. That makes average medical expense per beneficiary as Rs.10,500.

5) No medical insurance company in India handles 66 lakh beneficiaries. Medical Insurance doesn’t cover OPD. Since Railway is catering 2.01 crore OPD patients in a year, it may not be possible to include huge OPD beneficiaries in private managed medical insurance.

6) In existing Railway medical system all medical services like OPD, diagnosing, medicines, Surgeries, in-patient care, major treatment/surgeries carried out in referral private/ CGHS hospitals and follow-up checking are part of employees’ welfare scheme offered to employees and their dependents. It is a part of service condition. For retired employees and their dependents who opted for RELHS on onetime payment, same medical services are extended.

7) In the Railway Medical system, no cost ceiling is fixed for entitlement of any required treatment. On the other hand, medical insurance cover is basically extended to in-patient treatments and for surgeries with a ceiling based on the premium paid.

8) For example, United India Insurance Company Limited offers Rs.10 lakh sum insured at premium rate per member Rs.12,386 in age group 41-45. If all 66 lakh Railway beneficiaries are covered under above premium Rs.8370.78 crore will be paid as total premium. Whereas total medical expense of Indian Railways for the year 2018-19 is Rs. 6888.34 crore which is for diverse services given in the Annexure.

9) In the same time there is a need for addition of more private empanelled hospitals in Indian Railways Medical Services with seamless cashless treatment, since large number of serving and retired health care beneficiaries live in the newly developed suburbs of various cities throughout India. It is pertinent to note that in case of emergency, beneficiaries first require to approach Railway Hospital, then they are referred to private hospitals and in many cases precious golden hours are lost in mere formalities endangering the life.

10) Beneficiaries living in faraway places from Railway Hospitals also find it difficult to get their regular treatments and minor treatments occasionally, since they are required to travel long distance to reach Railway Hospitals. These beneficiaries will be benefited if cashless treatment is extended to them in the hospitals available near their living place.

11) Hence it is requested that,

a. Existing Indian Railways Medical Service facilities may please be continued.

b. The proposal for Medical Insurance Scheme for Railway employees / Pensioners and their depended may please be made as additionally facility to the beneficiaries to get their regular treatments including OPD & IPD in empaneled private hospitals, premium thereof may please be borne by Railways.

Thanking You

Yours faithfully,
(Harchandan Singh),
General Secretary, IRTSA

Annexure

List of diverse services performed by Indian Railways Medical Service (IRMS)

1) Attending Railway accidents and similar incidents;
2) Emergency medical treatment for sick passengers;
3) Pre-employment medical examination for prospective employees;
4) Periodical medical examination for employees;
5) Medical boards and other medical certification for employees;
6) Safe water supply at Railway stations;
7) Safe food supply at Railway stations;
8) Running medical first-aid posts for IR factories under the Factories Act;
9) Certification of dead bodies;
10) Certification of perishable goods;
11) Curative healthcare; and
12) Preventive healthcare.

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NFIR

National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI . 110055

Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (lTF)

No.II/13A/Part II,
The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS-97) – reg.

Ref: Railway Board’s letter No. 2011/H/28/1/RELHS/Court Case dated 31/05/2012.

Kind attention of Railway Board is invited to the instructions issued vide Board’s letter dated 31/05/2012 wherein the Railway Board had decided to allow pre-March 2009 retirees to be members of the RELHS-97 and also for post March 2009 onwards, the retirees shall be the Members of the Scheme. The Railway Board while allowing pre-March 2009 retirees the RELHS-97 Membership without any time limit, had imposed restriction of one year for March, 2009 onwards retirees to become Members of the Scheme.

Instances have been brought to the notice of the Federation by our affiliated Unions that on many Zonal Railways/PUs there are good number of retired Railway employees or their dependent family members belonging to the period post March 2009 and upto 3110512012 who could not avail the opportunity during the one year period, are now requesting to joining the Scheme. These retired employees or their dependent families have been living in rural areas and were unaware of the provision for joining RELHS-97 at that point of time. Some of our affiliated Unions took up the issue aI Zonal level in the PNM forum where the same has been pending for more than two years due to the reason that decision on this subject is required to be given by the Railway Board. Federation feels that the Railway Board would appreciate the circumstances under which the retired employees could not join the Scheme when opportunity was provided.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly consider the above points and issue modified instructions to enable the retired employees/ widows who retired during the period March, 2009 upto 31/05/2012 to join as members of RELHS-97 without any time limit. A copy of the instructions issued may be endorsed to the Federation.

Yours faithfully,
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Copy to the Director General (RHS), Railway Board, DFCC Building, Tilak Bridge, Pragati Maidan, Metro Bhavan, New Delhi for information and necessary action please.
Copy to the General Secretary, NCRES, Allahabad with reference to letter No. 104A/NCRES/19 dated 07/04/2019.
Copy to the General Secretaries of affiliated Unions of NFIR (expect NCRES).
Media Centre / NFIR.

Source : NFIR

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The Railway Board has decided to revise the subscription rates of Railway Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS) as per the Pay Matrix Level recommended by the 7th Pay Commission.

Following the subscription calculation method of CGHS for Central Government Employees and Pensioners, the Railway Board has now decided and published the revised subscription rates for all the group of Railway employees through its official portal.

On 9th January, 2017 the Health Ministry published the new rates of monthly subscription for availing the CGHS facility. The Central Government Pensioners have an option to get their CGHS Pensioners Card by either making CGHS contribution on an annual basis (12 Months) or by making contribution for 10 years for life time validity.

The rate of contribution to join RELHS shall be last month’s basic pay drawn or the subscription rate indicated in the above table at different levels as per the 7th Pay Commission whichever is lower.

The revised rate of subscription as above shall be applicable to those railway employees who shall be retiring and joining RELHS on or after the date of issue of this letter (23.2.2017). Those who have already retired and are not member of RELHS shall be governed by the rules which were prevalent at the time of their retirement

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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAILWAY BOARD

No. 2017/H/28/1/RELHS/Pt.1

New Delhi,
Dated-21.06.2018

General Managers

All Indian Railways including PUs and RDSO

Sub:- Subscription rates of RELHS – regarding.

Ref:- Railway Board’s letter No.2017/H/28/1/RELHS dated 23.02.2017.

Vide Board’s letter cited under reference, the subscription rate to join RELHS was revised with effect from 23.02.2017. Thus, the current rate of subscription to join RELHS for retiring railway employees is last month’s basic pay drawn or the amount enumerated in the table below for different pay levels (as per 7th CPC), whichever is lower :-

Various representations have been received for implementation of the above letter w.e.f. 01.01.2016 (the date of implementation of 7th CPC) in place of 23.02.2017.

After careful consideration in the matter, it has now been decided that the revised rate of subscription for joining RELHS would effective from 01.01.2016 in place of 23.02.2017. The excess amount, if any, deducted from the railway employees / family pensioners who retired / sanctioned pension from 01.01.2016 to 22.02.2017 (both dates are inclusive), may be refunded. It will be incumbent upon the department/branch, which paid the settlement dues to the retired employees/ family pensioner, between ‘01.01.2016 to 22.02.2017 (both dates are inclusive), to credit the excess amount recovered, if any, in one go in the bank account of the employee / family pensioner in which the settlement dues was credited. The due amount shall be initiated by the bill preparing authority for the retired employee and shall be passed by the Accounts Department after due internal check. This would be done without any application from the employee / family pensioner.

This issues in consultation with Finance Directorate in the Ministry of Railways.

S/d,

(R.S.Shukla)
Joint Director, Health
Railway Board

Source : NFIR

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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No.2017/H-1/2/13/SplitMedicalIdentityCard

New Delhi, dated 09.02.2018

The General Managers, All Indian Railways/PUs
The Chief Administrative Officers/DMW/Patiala/RWP/Bela/Patna
The Director General/RDSO

Sub: Split Medical Identity Card to serving Railway employees.

Ref: Railway Board’s letter No. 2004/H/28/1/RELHS/Card dated 22.03.2005.

In terms of provisions contained in Para 626 (1) of India Railway Medical Mannual (IRMM) -2000, it is necessary to produce medical identity Card for availing of medical facilities in Railway Hospitals. It has been brought to the notice of Board that serving Railway employees/their eligible dependent family members find difficult to avail of medical facilities when one of the family member move out of station carrying Medical Identity Card provision for RELHS beneficiaries though exist vide letter under reference but no such facility existed for serving Railway Employees. The issue has, therefore, been examined and it has been decided to extend the facility of split Medical Card to serving Railway employees covered by RMA rules.

Original Medical Identity Card may be deposited with the issuing authority who may issue split Medical Identity Card to the beneficiaries as requested by them.

Issuing authority of Split Medical Card will be the office of controlling authority where the employee is working and the registering authority of Split card will be Authorised Medical officer (AMO) of nearest Health Unit/Hospitals where the dependents are staying.

S/d,
Mrs.H.K.sanhotra
Dy.Director/H&FW
Railway Board

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Dated : 17.04.2017

No. II/28/Part VI

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,
Sub: Service Certificate issued to the retiring Railway Employees – modification of proforma requested-reg.

Ref: NFIR’s letter No. II/28/Part VI dated 15/03/2017.

Railway Board’s kind attention is invited to Federation’s letter of even number dated 15/03/2017 on the above subject.

While enclosing copy of Federation’s letter dated 15/03/2017, NFIR once again requests the Railway Board to expedite decision to streamline the performance of Service Certificate and Last Pay Certificate so that retiring employees may not face hassels for availing health care facilities. A copy of the communication sent to the GMs etc., may be endorsed to the Federation.

DA/As above

Yours faithfully,
S/d,
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Dated : 15.03.2017

No.II/28/Part VI

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,
Sub: Service Certificates issued to the retiring railway employees – modification of proforma-requested.

NFIR has since come to know that in the Service Certificates being issued to the retiring railway employees, it has been mentioned as “Is he member of RECHS or RELHS – Yes or No”. However, in the Last Pay Certificate being issued to retiring employees, it has been mentioned as -Last Basic Pay drawn to be recovered from settlement dues towards RELHS”. Photostat copies of the Last Pay Certificate as well Service Certificate of retired employee of South Central Railway are enclosed.

In this connection, NFIR conveys that the sentence in the Service Certificate “Is he member of RECHS or RELHS – Yes or No is unnecessary as the Last Pay drawn amount is compulsorily being deducted from the settlement dues of retiring employees. Instead, the Service Certificate should contain an endorsement -He/She is member of RELHS for which an amount of Rupees which is equivalent to the Last Pay Drawn was deducted”. The present proforma of Service Certificate and LPC needs to be suitably modified in order to remove confusion and hardships,retiring staff in future days.

Incidentally, it is mentioned that when the above deficiency was pointed out at Zonal level it has been conveyed that the proforma cannot be changed at Zonal level as the formats have been designed and operated by CRIS, New Delhi.

NFIR, therefore, requests Railway Board’s intervention to re-design formats of service certificate and LPC suitably, duly taking into account the points mentioned above.

DA/As above

Yours faithfully,
S/d,
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

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The Railway Board has decided to revise the subscription raes of Railway Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS)as per the Pay Matrix Level recommended by the 7th Pay Commission.

Following the subscription calculation method of CGHS for Central Government Employees and Pensioners, the Railway Board has now decided and published the revised subscription rates for all the group of Railway employees through its official portal.

On 9th January, 2017 the Health Ministry published the new rates of monthly subscription for availing the CGHS facility. The Central Government Pensioners have an option to get their CGHS Pensioners Card by either making CGHS contribution on an annual basis (12 Months) or by making contribution for 10 years for life time validity.

The rate of contribution to join RELHS shall be last month’s basic pay drawn or the subscription rate indicated in the above table at different levels as per the 7th Pay Commission whichever is lower.

The revised rate of subscription as above shall be applicable to those railway employees who shall be retiring and joining RELHS on or after the date of issue of this letter(23.2.2017). Those who have already retired and are not member of RELHS shall be governed by the rules which were prevalent at the time of their retirement

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No. 2013/H/PNM/NFIR

New Delhi, Dated: 17.11.2015

General Managers,
All Indian Railways/PUS
(Including RDSO).

Subj- Retired Employee’s Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS).
Ref:- This office letter of even No. dated 08.09.2015.

The decision of competent authority in the Ministry of Railways to extend the facility of joining RELHS-97 to those Railway employees who retired at the normal age of ‘superannuation irrespective of number of years of their service before superannuation, was conveyed to the Zonal Railways Vide Board’s letter cited under reference. However, one of the Zonal Railways has raised the issue of cut-off date of implementation of the order. The issue has been examined in consultation with Finance Directorate in the Board’s office.

In this context it is clarified that the instruction issued vide Board’s letter cited under reference is applicable to all Railway employees who have retired or retiring from-Railway service on attaining age of superannuation without any Cut-Off date.

This issues with the concurrence of Finance Directorate in the Board’s office.

(R.S. Shukla)
Joint Director/Health
Railway Board

Download NFIR letter No.2013/H/PNM/NFIR dated 17.11.2015 (Retired-Employees-Liberalized-Health-Scheme)

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NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen

3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

No. II/44/Part I

Dated: 05/11/2015

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board, 
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Creation of posts of Dieticians in Railway Hospitals on Indian Railways-reg.

For quite sometime, the Federation has been receivmg grievances from the Railway employees over non-availability of Dieticians in various Railway Hospitals at Zonal/Divisional level, causing hardships to the employees (serving/retired) but is also affecting adversely the quality of medical treatment in absence of proper dietary advice. In the present day environment there is necessity of a dietician in the Railway Hospitals where there are more than 25 beds and about 1,000 patients (Railway employees and their families plus RELHS beneficiaries).

Federation further desires to state that the Dieticians are qualified professionals with skills to provide expert nutrition and dietary advice to the patients for improvement and up keep of health. The Federation places below the duties and responsibilities which are expected of a Dietician to improve nutrition care:-

• Creation of an institutional culturev

• Redefining clinician’s role by inclusion of nutritional care of patients,

• Recognize and diagnose all malnourished patients and also those at risk,

• Rapidly implementing comprehensive nutrition intervention and continued monitoring,

• Communication of nutritional care plans,

• Developing a comprehensive discharge, nutritional care and education plan.

ROLE OF DIETICIAN IN PATIENT’S RECOVERY:-

Clinical Dieticians monitor, assess, and optimize nutrition status based on the patient’s medical condition and/or nutrition adequacy.

They confer with physicians and other health care professionals to coordinate medical and nutritional needs, and they make recommendations for tube and intravenous feedings and/or dietary supplements.

Clinical Dieticians counsel and educate patients how to make nutritionally sound food choices to speed up the recovery process, prevent disease and maintain good health.

Dieticians provide food and nutrition information, and support people to improve their health. They provide advice on nutrition-related matters and modify diets to help manage conditions such as diabetes, heart diseases (atheroscelerosis, angina, coronary heart disease, • stroke ,hypertension), liver diseases(Fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis A,B,C), lung diseases(Asthma ,chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Pneumonia, tuberculosis), overweight and obesity, constipation, cancer, food allergies, Anaemia and food intolerance, any type of cancer cases.

The following is the number of Central, Divisional, Sub-Divisional & Production Unit
Hospitals on the Indian Railways:-

(i) Central Hospitals                          =    64
(ii) Divisional Hospitals                    =   112
(iii) Sub-Divisional/PU Hospitals   =    55

                                              Total    = 231

Federation is sad to note that there are only 24 posts of Dieticians in about 22 Railway Hospitals” on Indian Railways. This proves that the posts of Dieticians have not been provided adequately in each Railway Hospital despite the fact that these Hospitals have more beds. It is needless to point out that in the Hospitals where there is Dietician, the ratio of Dietician to patient is 1:300-500 which itself is quite alarming and needs deployment of more staff of this category.

It is to be appreciated that ‘Diet and Nutrition’ is immensely helping in the treatment of diseases like Hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hepatitis and nephritis, hyperuremia and saves considerable amount towards the cost of medicine and the allied treatment.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to accord approval for creation of posts of Dieticians in Railway Hospitals to ensure proper Health Care to the Railway employees and the RELHS beneficiaries. Federation may please kept advised of action taken in the matter.

Yours faithfully
sd/-
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Click Here to View the Order

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No. NFRPA/SCOVA/2015

To
Under Secretary
Govt of India
Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare
New Delhi – 110003

Sir,

Sub : 27th Meeting of SCOVA

Items and Issues for SCOVA Agenda

1. Illegal recovery of over payment of Pension

2 Non issue of Medical SMART CARD to RELHS Card holders of Railway Pensioners.

necessary steps

3. introduction of simplified procedure for application of grant of life time family pension to unmarried/widow/divorce daughter

In the greater interest of the poorer section of Widow/Divorced daughter of the pensioner the criteria for grant of life time family pension introduced in the recent past may please be modified so that genuine distressed daughters get the facility.

4. Incorrect implementation of PCAT order dated 01.11.2011 in OA 655/2010, which quashed DOP & PW OMs of 3.10.2008, 14.10.2008 & 11.02.2009

5.Inclusion of Pension Federations in Standing Groups of SCOVA

Source: http://scm-bps.blogspot.in

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