MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 34TH SCOVA HELD ON 11.03.2025 UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF HON'BLE MOS (PP) AT VIGYAN BHAWAN
No. 4/14/2025-P&PW(D)/E-10522
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare
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3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan
Khan Market, New Delhi- 110003
ssDate: - 25.03.2025
To
All the Pensioners' Associations included in SCOVA
Vide Resolution dated 26.09.2023
Sub: - Minutes of the 34th SCOVA meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble MOS(PP) on 11.03.2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi-reg
Please find enclosed herewith the minutes of the 34th Meeting of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) held under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble MoS (PP) on 11.03.2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi for compliance and necessary action.
Balu E13.9025
(Dilip Kumar Sanu)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 34TH SCOVA HELD ON 11.03.2025 UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF HON'BLE MOS (PP) AT VIGYAN BHAWAN (ANNEXE)
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34th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) was held on 11.03.2025 under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble MOS (PP) at Vigyan Bhawan (Annexe) with members of Pensioners' Welfare Associations and representatives of different Ministries/Departments. List of participants is annexed.
2. The meeting was attended by Secretary (pension), Controller General of Accounts and other senior officers from various Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Expenditure, Department of Personnel and Training, Department of Telecommunications, Department of Posts, Department of Financial Services, CPAO, bank officials from J&K bank and Indian bank, officials from DoPPW and members of 13 Pensioners' Welfare Associations.
3. At the outset, Secretary (Pension) welcomed the Hon'ble Minister and other participants in the SCOVA meeting for a fruitful discussion on agenda items for the meeting.
4 Joint Secretary (Pension) made a brief presentation on the various initiatives taken by the DoPPW for casing the difficulties faced by the pensioners and their general welfare including the 100 days' action plan of the Department and other achievements during the last one year. He also presented the future road map of the Department which includes digital empowerment of Pensioners, integration of Bhavishya portal with eHRMS and CGHS and timely redressal of Pensioners' grievances.
5. Thereafter, the deliberations were initiated on the new agenda items categorised into four parts viz. CGHS facilities, SPARSH portal of MoD, Pension Policy and other issues etc. which were taken up one by one for discussion by the SCOVA members.
I. CGHS ISSUES ISSUE
- CGHS-Infrastructure and Posting of Manpower
* Pensioners' Associations from Pune, Jammu, Bengaluru, Chennai, Balasore and Nagpur raised various issues related to CGHS which include:
* Adequate manpower posting at all Wellness centers(WCs)
· Opening of new WCs at Pune, Bengaluru, Balasore, Nagpur, Chennai, Puducherry and Jammu
· Opening of a polyclinic at Jammu with testing lab facilities
· In addition to the empanelled labs already available, setting up of a diagnostic lab
· Timely payment of bills of the vendors
· Empanelment of private hospitals at the district H.Q. (Pune and other places) under CGHS
· Continuous supply of life saving medicines
· Extending the services of CGHS to employees of the Central Government offices which may have been closed on account of administrative restructuring
· Reduction of delay in release of medical reimbursement claims
· Improvement of the existing infrastructure like buildings and facilities of WCs (Chennai, Bengaluru and Nagpur)
Discussion/Decision on agenda item
DG CGHS informed that the proposal for recruitment of manpower for CGHS Wellness Centres is in active consideration through Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the issue of manpower shortage would be resolved soon.
DG CGHS was requested to consider the issues related to upgradation of existing WCs, improvement of infrastructure and manpower on priority as per the availability of resources
The issue of empanelment of private hospitals without opening of WCs, being a policy matter was decided to be examined separately.
CGHS was requested to examine the need of opening of new WCs in States/UTs after assessing the requirement based on the present population/beneficiaries at a place. CGHS was requested to consider opening of a Polyclinic with a testing lab facility at Jammu.
Emphasis was given to consider maintaining continuous supply of life saving drugs in the WCs based on previous demands rather than just based on demand of indent.
(Action: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/CGHS)
III. PENSION POLICY
(i) Issue: Restoration of commutation period from 15 ycars to 12 years:
The 5th Central Pay Commission (CPC) and various state governments recommended for reducing the recovery period for commuted pension from 15 years to 12 years to align with changing economic conditions. With the decrease in RBI interest rates, the current 15-year recovery period leads to excess recovery. Reducing the period to 12 years will ensure fairness and better matches the impact of lower interest rates on pension calculations.
Discussion/Decision on agenda item
It was informed by Department of Expenditure that this issue may be included in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of 8th Pay Commission.
In view of the above, the item was closed.
(ii) Issue: Laying down Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for streamlining the process of starting of Family Pension:
Pensioners' Association raised the issue of difficulties being faced by family pensioners for grant of family pension after death of pensioner/family pensioner. They, therefore, requested to issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for streamlining the process of starting of Family Pension.
Discussion/Decision on agenda item
It was informed by DoPPW that comments have been sought from banks, CPAO and other concerned Ministries/Departments on the question of a Standard Operating Procedure for grant of family pension.
DoPPW in consultation with other stakeholders will issue instructions in this regard. (Action: DoPPW)
(iv) ISSUE: FIXED MEDICAL ALLOWANCE (FMA):
Increase in the Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to Rs. 3000 per month, as the current allowance is insufficient due to rising medical costs, as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
Discussion/Decision on agenda item
It was informed by Department of Expenditure that this issue may be included in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of 8th Pay Commission.
In view of the above, the item was closed.
(ONLY FEW ISSUES ARE MENTIONED ABOVE)
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