MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
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(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. Membership of ECHS has been granted to World War II Veterans, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) and pre-mature retirees by waiving off the condition relating to receipt of pension and being Ex-servicemen (ESMs) for becoming eligible to receive medicare under ECHS, subject to the following conditions:
(i) They must apply for membership of ECHS and accept the Rules of ECHS.
(ii) ECHS facilities would be extended only to the individuals of the above-mentioned categories and their spouses.
(iii) They will have to pay one-time contribution and become members of the ECHS. (However, war widows shall be exempt from payment of one-time ECHS contribution).
(iv) They should not have been discharged on disciplinary grounds.
(v) They should not be covered under any other institutional health scheme of the Government.
(vi) They should abide by the ECHS Rules as amended from time to time.
(vii) The WW-II Veterans and ECOs and their spouses would be allowed all ECHS facilities including treatment in ECHS empanelled hospitals, and free OPD and IPD treatment facilities at the AFMS Hospitals, as available to other ECHS members.
(viii) The SSCOs and pre-mature retirees would be eligible for the following facilities
(a) Free OPD services from ECHS Polyclinics
(b) They must pay for OPD/IPD/ Investigations in ECHS empanelled hospitals and seek reimbursement @ 75% of total admissible expenditure for personnel having more than 10 years of service and @50% of total admissible expenditure for personnel having less than or equal to 10 years of service.
This decision of the Government is expected to benefit approximately 43,000 individuals (1000 WW-II Veterans & their spouses, 2000 ECOs & their spouses and 40000 SSCOs & pre-mature retirees including their spouses).
(d) Measures for resettlement and training including reservation in Govt./Bank/PSUs etc., are aimed at those who qualify to be ESM and are desirous of availing benefits under the various resettlement and training Schemes for gainful re-employment/a second career. Details of skill development training for WW-II Veterans, ECOs, SSCOs and pre-mature retirees being carried out by the PSUs is not maintained centrally by the Department of Public Enterprises, the nodal department for PSUs. As regards Defence PSUs, ESMs recruited by various Defence PSUs are extended all welfare measures such as training, skill development, etc., as per extant company rules. Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR) conducts resettlement training course for retiring/retired officers of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force at Government / Private Training Institutes. Certifications from these training institutes increase their chances of getting employed at senior management posts in the corporate sector. In the last five years i.e. from 2014-15 to 2018-19, 558 pre-mature retiree officers and 451 SSC officers have attended the skill development / resettlement training courses conducted by DGR.
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