Medical facilities to the retired railway employees
NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI- 110 055
Affiliated to
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)
No.II/13(A)/Pt.II
Dated: 25/04/2020
Shri Piyush Goyal,
Hon’ble Minister of Railways,
Rail Bhavan,
New Delhi
Sir,
Sub: Medical facilities to the retired railway employees (RELHS beneficiaries) residing far away from Railway Hospitals & Health Units — Review of extant policy to mitigate hardships – reg.
NFIR brings to your kind notice that the retired railway employees residing at far away places from Railway Hospitals/Health Units are facing severe hardships in reaching Railway Hospitals & Health Units for treatment purpose, as the journey involved for them is ranging 30 to 40 Kms. An example of Gurgaon and Noida is cited, where large railway population is residing and for them, no railway medical facilities are available within the vicinity, consequently the senior citizens and their dependents (RELHS beneficiaries) are driven to trek for reaching Northern Railway Central Hospital New Delhi (distance over 30 Kms) for routine out door treatment. All these retired employees and officers have remitted their last month salary at the time of retirement and became RELHS beneficiaries, but sadly they are not able to avail railway health care facilities at all and at the same time they spend their pension amount for availing medical facilities at nearby private hospitals. Their hardships at the evening of their life can better be imagined than explained more.
In the above context, NFIR brings to your kind notice that the retired Central Government Employees governed by CGHS Scheme of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are entitled to avail medical facilities at nearby corporate hospitals (recognized). In other wards those retired Central Government Employees living at Gurgaon and Noida are having the advantage of availing the medical facilities at nearby corporate hospitals, whereas retired railway employees/officers (RELHS beneficiaries) are not allowed to avail the said treatment/medical facilities from corporate hospitals as and when needed without looking at railway medical treatment. The grievance of RELHS beneficiaries (particularly living at Gurgaon and Noida) is very genuine & needs to be addressed.
NFIR therefore requests you to kindly consider the plight of retired railway population residing at places like Gurgaon and Noida and issue instructions to Railway Board to relax the extant restrictions to facilitate them to avail medical facilities at nearby corporate hospitals (recognized) like that of those retired Central Government Employees governed by CGHS Scheme. NFIR trusts that the Hon’ble MR would favourably decide the matter very early.
With regards,
Yours sincerely
(Dr M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary
Source: NFIR