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The present medical scheme has a restriction of Rs 2.1 lakh each for every ex-serviceman and his spouse.

KOLKATA, April 2

THE Armed Forces has announced the launch of a contributory health scheme for ex-servicemen and their families. The Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) has no restrictions on the type of ailment, the age of the beneficiary or the person's present medical condition. All serving personnel retiring on or after April 1, 2003 will automatically become life-members of the scheme.

Stating this at a news conference here, the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Eastern Command, Lt. Gen. J.R. Mukherjee, said the present medical scheme has a restriction of Rs 2.1 lakh each for every ex-serviceman and his spouse. This scheme will be discontinued after March 31, 2005. In the meantime, members of the existing scheme can join the ECHS, which offers unlimited medical facilities to members of the scheme, their spouses, dependent children and parents. Ex-servicemen who wish to join the ECHS would have to make a one-time contribution that would be based on their pension.

Lt. Gen. Mukherjee said that implementation of the scheme would entail a capital expenditure of Rs 122 crore over the next five years. Besides, the projected annual expenditure on the scheme would be Rs 354.50 crore. Requests for land and assistance have been made to several State Governments for successful implementation of the ECHS. As part of the scheme, clinics and polyclinics would be set up at military and non-military stations.

The existing resources of the armed forces would be utilised even as the process of identifying referral doctors, diagnostic clinics, etc., was currently on. While at present the existing infrastructure of the armed forces would be utilised for the scheme, the military establishment was open to the idea of partnering with the private sector if and when required.

Lt. Gen. Mukherjee said several ex-servicemen had not registered themselves with their respective Sainik Boards and requested them to do so and join the ECHS.

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