Health scheme extended to WWII veterans

Highlights

• The government on Thursday approved grant of Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) to WWII veterans, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) and premature retirees
• The cabinet also approved that war widows, as a special dispensation, will be exempt from the one-time mandatory contribution to join ECHS

New Delhi: The government on Thursday approved grant of Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) to WWII veterans, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) and premature retirees.


“Consequently, over 43,000 individuals not covered so far under the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme will be able to avail benefits of cashless medical treatment under ECHS facilities through a network of over 425 ECHS polyclinics, over 2,500 empanelled private hospitals and all government hospitals throughout the country, subject to certain conditions,” an official said.

The cabinet also approved that war widows, as a special dispensation, will be exempt from the one-time mandatory contribution to join ECHS, which provides medicare to around 54 lakh ex-servicemen and their dependants.

Officials said the cabinet decision was “yet another landmark step in the proactive policies” of the NDA government for welfare of military veterans. “These include the implementation of ‘one rank one pension’ for ex-servicemen, a demand which had been pending for over four decades, which has resulted in over 20 lakh ex-servicemen receiving over Rs 35,000 crore under the scheme,” the official said.

Recently, the government had approved the grant of ECHS to pensioners of Assam Rifles and their dependants residing in India and Nepal.