University Pensioners Demand Equal Benefits under RGHS

The President of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology Pensioners' Welfare Society, Dr. S.K. Bhatnagar, has written a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) and Project Director (RGHS) demanding that the pensioners of the university be provided benefits under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) equivalent to those given to state government pensioners. He has also requested that the financial limit for medicines in the OPD be increased to ₹50,000, in line with state government norms.

The Vice President of the Pensioners' Society, Dr. P.C. Kanthalia, stated that before the implementation of RGHS, the pensioners of the university were availing OPD and indoor patient facilities as per the rules of the state government. Reimbursements for medical expenses were also made in accordance with state government guidelines. During their service period, pensioners contributed to the Pensioner Medical Fund (PMF) by deducting a monthly amount from their salaries as per state government norms, ensuring parity in medical benefits.

In February 2022, the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) was implemented in the university as per state government directives. To avail RGHS benefits, the university collected ₹75,000 from each pensioner and contributed an additional ₹30,000 from the Pensioner Medical Fund, amounting to ₹1,05,000 per pensioner, which was transferred to the Project Director (RGHS). Despite these contributions and the deductions made during their service, university pensioners are not being provided medical benefits on par with state government pensioners.

The Pensioners' Welfare Society has demanded that the university pensioners be granted RGHS benefits equivalent to those enjoyed by state government pensioners.