AIPEU P3 CHQ

Minister of State Shri. Sachin Pilot reply to Shri. Jena, Member of Parliament abort medical facilities to Postal Employees & other issues.

SACHIN PILOT

Minister of State for

Communication & Information Technology

Government of India

New Delhi – 110003

11 Aug 2010

Dear Shri. Jena,

Kindly refer to your letter dated 13^th July, 2010 regarding problems faced by the postal employees of Orissa Circle.

I have had the matter examined. With regard to the enhancement of the expenditure per beneficiary, the matter is being examined by the Department. The working of the Postal dispensary has been fixed uniformly in all the postal dispensaries which is on the line of duty hours observed by CGHS dispensaries.

	Winter schedule	Summer Schedule	Total hours
Normal day (Monday to Saturday)	8 a.m. to 2 p.m.	7 a.m. to 1 p.m.	6 hours
Second Saturday	8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.	7 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.	3.5 hours
Sunday	8 a.m. to 10 a.m.	7 a.m. to 9 a.m.	2 hours

If split duty is introduced, this will reduce the working hours from 6 hours to 5 hours 30 minutes as deduction of 30 minutes is allowed for the split duty. It will also result in inconvenience to the Medical and Para-medical staff as in most of the stations staff quarters are not available within 1 K.M of the dispensary and the staff will be forced to remain on duty for more than 8 hours on week days at a stretch. In many dispensaries, there is a shortage of regular doctors and the work is managed through the doctors appointed on contract basis.

2. The postal dispensaries are under the administrative control of the SSP in-charge of the Postal Dn. or directly under the DPS (HQ) of Circle Office/Regional office. The administrative work relating to the dispensary is looked after by the Divisional Head or DPS (HQ). The timing of the dispensary have been fixed in such a way which is convenient to the beneficiaries of both serving postal employees, Pensioners and the medical staff.

3. As regards the empanelment of the private hospitals and diagnostic centres, they are approved by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under CGHA/CS (MA) Rules. The postal dispensaries only provide outdoor facility to the beneficiary and therefore private hospitals and diagnostic centres are only approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The serving employees of the Department of Posts can seek reimbursement after obtaining the treatment from hospitals/diagnostic centres approved by the Government whereas the pensioners are only eligible for OPD facility.

4. As regards supply of medicine on the date indent is placed, the approved Chemist collects the indents from dispensary based on the prescription of the date and makes supply of those medicines on next day if medicines are not available in the stock. There is no willful delay in supply of medicines.

5. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the Cadre Controlling authority of Central Health Service (CHS) Central Group. A Service and the Doctors in the Postal dispensaries are posted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The cadre comprises of 4 sub cadres viz. General duty Medical Officer, teaching specialist, non teaching and Public Health Specialist Sub cadre. In the Postal dispensaries, doctors belonging to the General Duty Medical Officer (GDMO) sub cadre are posted. Since the postal dispensaries do not provide in-hospitalization facilities, the department do not feel the need for appointing specialist doctors on contract basis and the cases are referred to specialist in recognized hospitals. This is practice in vogue in CGHS dispensaries also.

6. The Sixth Central Pay Commission in its recommendations in para 7.6.16 has recommended merger of Postal dispensaries with the CGHS dispensaries in the cities where both Postal and CGHS dispensaries are existing. The Department has sent a proposal to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for merger of 19 such departmental dispensaries with CGHS dispensaries which include merger of Bhubaneshwar Postal Dispensary with the CGHS Dispensary. The proposal is pending with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for a decision.

7. Postal Assistants have been assigned the jobs of System Administrators and Marketing Executives. The Sixth Central Pay Commission examined the proposal of the Department for creation of separate cadre of System Administrator and Marketing Executives but did not recommend the creation of separate cadre on functional ground. The Sixth CPC further observed that existing manpower need to be used for multifarious functions. The Department has, however, constituted a Committee to examine the cadre restructuring including the jobs handled by the System Administrators.

I hope you will be able to appreciate the limitations placed on the Department in such issues.

With regards,

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(SACHIN PILOT)

Shri Mohan Jena,

Member of Parliament (LS),

124, North Avenue,

New Delhi - 110001