In a significant decision benefitting over 6.50 lakh employees and pensioners of the state government, the Punjab Cabinet today gave nod for implementing Cashless Health Insurance scheme in lieu of the existing policy of reimbursement of the medical expenses to them.A decision to this effect was taken by the Cabinet in its meeting chaired by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here at Punjab Bhawan this evening. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the facility of cashless treatment would be provided to Government employee/ pensioners and their dependents in more than 250 empanelled public and private hospitals in Punjab, Chandigarh and NCR (Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida) adding that under this scheme all the benefits would be granted to the employee as per Service Rules (Medical Attendance Rules 1940).
The expenses on treatment if taken in the remaining parts of the country would be reimbursed to the employees by the insurance company within 15 days of submission of medical claim.As per the scheme the expenditure on treatment of patient admitted in hospital and 246 kinds of “Day care” procedure (in which treatment was provided in less than 24 hours) and treatment of chronic diseases in OPD would be provided to patient without spending any money. The OPD expenses other than those related to chronic diseases would continue to be met through fixed medical allowance. The scheme would cover pre and post hospitalisation benefits upto seven days and 30 days respectively, which were not available under the prevailing rules. Though the insurance company cover was Rs 3 lakh per family however the scheme would cover a family for an unlimited amount.
Though the scheme would be made compulsory to employees and pensioners it would be optional for All India Service Officers, serving and ex-MLAs, serving and ex-Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court. The scheme would entail an annual financial liability of Rs 107 crore on state exchequer. This scheme was initially for one year and could be extended for another year with the mutual consent of government and insurance company. With a view to safeguard the interests of general public against frauds by the Financial Establishments, the Cabinet also okayed the introduction of the Punjab Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Bills, 2015. Pertinently with the mushrooming growth of the financial establishments in the state it has been noticed that these establishments were openly duping the innocent investors through public deposit schemes, particularly from middle and poorer sections of society, by making impracticable or financially unviable promises or by offering highly attractive rates of interests or rewards, with the malafide intention of not fulfilling the obligation of refunding the deposits on maturity to the investors at the time of deposits. In another significant decision, the Cabinet also accorded its approval for the creation of 417 posts of Beldars in department of Forest and Wildlife in order to regularise those Beldars who had completed 10 years in service and were left out in 2011when similarly placed employees were regularised.
To ensure effective functioning of Punjab Gau Sewa Commission for protection and proper care of cattle in the state, the Cabinet also gave its concurrence to amend “The Punjab Gau Sewa Commission Bill, 2015” for appointing a Vice Chairperson in the board besides increasing the strength of its non-official members from existing seven to 10 by presenting it in the ensuing session of Vidhan Sabha for its conversion into Act. Likewise, to bring far more efficiency in the working of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, the Cabinet also gave nod for drafting Punjab State Human Rights Commission (Group A, B and C) Rules 2015, for ensuring regular recruitment of Ministerial staff in the commission. The Regular recruitment would be made by the commission as per the prescribed qualification, which would open avenues of promotions for the staff as now the employees were working either on contract basis or through outsourcing.
In a bid to enable the Excise and Taxation department to maximise the collection of taxes and duties besides providing prompt and hassle free services to the tax payers, the Cabinet also gave green signal for restructuring of the Excise and Taxation Technical Services Agency (ETTSA) by amending rule 12.1 of the Rules and Regulations of ETTSA. This would also help in expediting successful computerisation of the department for taking it into mission mode.
To ensure proper maintenance and upkeep of the already constructed and upcoming memorials efficaciously for preserving the glorious cultural heritage of the state, the Cabinet also gave nod for introduction of the bill in the coming session of Vidhan Sabha to amend section 7 sub section B of the Punjab Ancient, Historical Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Cultural Heritage Maintenance Board Act, 2013 by substituting sub clause: “for the construction/ creation of buildings of state/ national importance and repayment of loans raised for construction/ creation of buildings of state/ national importance” with “for the construction/ creation of buildings of state/ national importance and repayment of loans raised for construction/ creation of buildings of state/ national importance and operation, maintenance of heritage memorial/ projects and memorials” into an act.
In a bid to widen the ambit of Bhagat Puran Singh Beema Yojna, the Cabinet has given approval to cover 28.05 lakh Blue Card holder families under this scheme. All the eligible families under this scheme would be entitled for free treatment worth Rs 30000 annually in 214 government and 177 registered private hospitals. As many as 17 lakh eligible families under this scheme would be registered from October 1, 2015 in the first phase and the remaining 11 lakh families would be registered from November 1, 2015. The registered families under the scheme from October 1 would be entitled for treatment from November 1 and the families registered from November 1 could avail the free treatment facility from December 1. A 24X7 free helpline service with 104 Number has been started to provide all relevant information or lodging any sort of complaint related to delay in treatment under this scheme.