South Central Railway’s Personnel Department has written a letter to the Secretary (Estt.) of the Railway Board, requesting clarification on the eligibility of widowed/divorced/unmarried daughters for medical treatment under the RELHS 97 scheme and the issuance of UMID cards. The Railway Board responded by stating that such daughters receiving family pension are not eligible for RELHS and are not entitled to opt for FMA. However, the South Central Railway Mazdoor Union has opposed this clarification, citing previous instructions by the Railway Board that defined family for the purpose of RELHS-97 as the same as that for serving railway employees and allowed for the continuation of the Widow Pass facility and other eligible members in the Widow Pass Account. The South Central Railway Personnel Department has requested that the Railway Board re-examine the matter and issue comprehensive orders on passes, UMID, and health facilities for beneficiaries of secondary family pensioners.
Eligibility of Widowed/ Divorced/ Unmarried daughters for obtaining Medical treatment under RELHS 97 and issue of UMID cards
SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY
Headquarters Office,
Personnel Department,
Secunderabad
No.P[R] 438/CHS/IV
Date: 07-03-2023.
The Secretary (Estt.),
Railway Board,
NEW DELHI,
for the kind attention of Ms.Sudha A Kujur, DD/PC/Rly,Bd
Sub: Eligibility of Widowed/ Divorced/ Unmarried daughters for obtaining Medical treatment under RELHS 97 and issue of UMID cards – reg.
Ref: (1) This office letter of even No. dt.29.04.2022 & 06.09.2022.
(2) Rly.Board’s letter No. PC-V/2022/A/Med/2(FMA)E) dt.11.11.2022.
Vide this office letters (1) cited above, Board have been requested to clarify whether the family pensioners (other than spouse) are eligible for medical facilities under RELHS-97, in case both the employee and his/her spouse were expired.
Board vide their letter (2) cited under reference have clarified that “as per extant instructions a railway pensioner/family pensioner is entitled to opt for FMA, if he/she is eligible for RELHS. It has further been observed that widowed/divorced/unmarried daughters in receipt of family pension are not eligible for RELHS. In view of this position, widowed/divorced/unmarried daughters in receipt of family pension are not entitled to opt for FMA’.
The above instructions have been circulated to all the concerned on this Railway. S.C.Rly.Mazdoor Union is strongly opposing (copy enclosed) the above clarification stating that this clarification is quite contradictory to the following instructions issued earlier by Railway Board on the subject:
(1) While introducing the scheme of RELHS-97, Board vide their letter No. 97/H/28/1 dated 23.10.1997 have stated that “definition of family for the purpose of this scheme will be the same as in respect of the serving Railway employees. The definition of dependency will be the same as in the Pass Rules/IRMM-81″.
(2) In terms of RBE No.69/2014, where the existing pensioner/ family pensioner was in receipt of Fixed Medical Allowance, the family pensioner next-in-line may be allowed Fixed Medical Allowance from the same date from which he/she becomes eligible for family pension, if he/she otherwise fulfills the conditions for grant of Fixed Medical Allowance.
(3) Board vide their RBE No.64/2022 have clarified that “even after the demise of spouse of deceased Railway servant, Widow Pass (WP) facility may be continued in the name of eldest beneficiary eligible to be included in the WP in terms of extant Pass Rules. Other eligible members may also be continued in the Widow Pass Account (WPA)”.
Besides the above, it is also to submit that, in para 2 of RBE No.22/2008, it was stated that, FMA is granted to only those Railway Pensioners/Family pensioners who reside beyond 2.5 Kms from Railway Hospital/Health Units, irrespective of the fact whether they are members or not, of RELHS. It is also reiterated that the pensioner is however, required to be eligible for being enrolled under a health scheme, in terms of Board’s letter No. 97/H/28/1 dt.23.10.1997 and actual enrolment under the scheme is not compulsory.
In view of the position explained above, it is requested to kindly re-look into the interrelated matter of Passes, UMID and Health facilities in favour of beneficiaries of secondary family pensioners and issue comprehensive orders.
This issues with the approval of PCPO.
Encl: As above.
(P.Kishore Babu)
CPO/Gaz.
For General Manager (P)
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