The leadership of pensioner's association submits a pittetion to the DC

Gadwal: The leaders of the pensioners' association submitted a petition to District Collector BM Santhosh today, highlighting unresolved issues concerning state government pensioners. They emphasized that the most critical and concerning problem is the non-implementation of the Employee Health Scheme (EHS).

The main objective of this scheme is to provide cashless medical treatment to state government employees, pensioners, and hospitals. Although this scheme was started in the united state of Andhra Pradesh, it is not being implemented even today. It is common for elderly pensioners to suffer from various diseases. Every time one is admitted to the hospital for medical treatment, one has to pay a huge amount of money. Unable to afford the medical expenses, the pensioners are facing many problems.

The pensioners' association also pointed out that they have submitted 18 petitions to the government, agreeing to deduct a sum from basic pay/pension for cashless medical treatment, as per the Commission's recommendations. They highlighted that previous government orders (G.O. No. 186) had been issued, but no follow-up action was implemented.

Regarding the reimbursement of medical bills, there are significant delays in processing these claims, sometimes taking years. Even when orders are issued, timely payments are not being made through e-Kubera. These payments often cover only a nominal portion of the amount spent. The association welcomed the government's decision to increase the maximum amount under the Arogya sree scheme from five lakhs to ten lakhs, but stressed the need for effective implementation and timely resolution of these issues.

Considering the importance of EHS, the pensioners humbly request that the government arrange for immediate cashless medical treatment by deducting 1% from the basic pension of the pensioners through the scheme.

Additionally, the petition addressed the issue of the commutation amount received by pensioners upon retirement, which is currently recovered over 15 years (in 180 installments). They noted that while this period was fixed considering the interest rates at the time, the current interest rates would allow for the commutation amount to be recovered in 10 years and 8 months (128 months). A stay order has also been issued to stop the commutation recovery from pensioners who have completed more than 10 years after retirement. Therefore, the pensioners are requesting that the commutation recovery period be reduced to at least 12 years.

Furthermore, the pensioners' association, represented by President Lakshmi Reddy, General Secretary Chakradhar, Secretary Krishna Reddy, and others, appealed for the release of four installments of Dearness Relief (D.R.) and requested that the dues be paid in one lump sum.

The association urged the district collector to take immediate action on these matters to alleviate the financial burden and ensure timely support for pensioners' healthcare needs.