Guidelines for referrals to CGHS empanelled hospitals

No.RA/Cons/Hyd/09-10/CGHS IV
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare
********

Nirman Bhawan, Maulana Azad Road
New Delhi 110 108, dated the11^th June, 2010

To
Additional Directors / Joint Directors
of all CGHS cities

Subject:            Guidelines for referrals to CGHS empanelled hospitals in CGHS cities outside Delhi, where there are no Central Government hospitals.

                        I am directed to state that it has come to notice that CGHS beneficiaries residing in cities covered by CGHS (outside of Delhi) are facing difficulties in getting services of specialists from State Government hospitals and they cannot avail services directly from private empanelled hospitals. After careful consideration of the ground realities, it has been decided to issue the following guidelines for strict compliance:

(1)            CGHS beneficiaries must compulsorily be referred to polyclinics wherever set up by the CGHS;

(2)            It posts of specialists are lying vacant in polyclinics, GDMOs, who are post graduates may be posted in polyclinics for consultation, and on the basis of the advice / opinion to be tendered by them, CMO i/c, AD / JDs may refer patients to private empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres, according to the choice of the beneficiary;

(3)            In those cities which do not have polyclinics and if GDMOs who are post graduates are available, their services as specialist may be utilised and patients may be referred to the dispensary in which such PG GDMOs are posted or if space is available in a centrally located dispensary, the PG GDMOs may be posted there;

(4)            In the event of neither a specialist nor a PG GDMO is available in a city, CMO i/c shall make a provisional diagnosis and refer the patients to private empanelled hospital for specialists’ consultation;

(5)            A referral from CGHS dispensary is required every the patient is advised any procedure for investigation;

(6)            If any specific treatment / procedure is advised (except in emergency) by private empanelled hospital, it must be counter-signed by CMO i/c before the services are availed, to check possible misuse;

(7)            No permission is required in case of emergency, where a beneficiary can avail treatment in a private empanelled hospital, as per existing instructions;

(8)            The beneficiary will have to go back to the dispensary where his / her card registered for collection of medicines prescribed by the specialist of the private empanelled hospital. No indent of such medicines will be made, for which similar drugs with same generic formulation available in the dispensary will be supplied, as per standing instructions;

(9)            Beneficiaries can purchase prescribed medicines for 3 (three) days only from open market, which shall be reimbursed by the CGHS / Ministry / Department, as the case may be . For requirement of medicines beyond three days, medicines will have to be procured from the dispensaries; and

(10)            Once a diagnosis and treatment has been advised by the specialist, doctors in dispensaries may follow up the case instead of referring back after the specific period of the prescription gets exhausted. They have to use their own clinical judgement for follow-up and adjust the dose schedules, if required.

2.This issues with the approval of Director General of Health Services.

Yours faithfully

(R. Ravi)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Annual re-verification of doctors appointed as Authorised Medical Attendants

No.S.14025/53/2008-MS
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
133, 'D' Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi - 110108
Email : so2ms-mohfw@nic.in
*****

Dated the 19^thMay, 2010

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:             Annual re-verification of doctors appointed as Authorised Medical Attendants under CS (MA) Rules, 1944 - clarification regarding.

                       The undersigned is directed to invite reference to this Ministry's OM of even number dated 09.02.2009, wherein an arrangements for the proforma for the verification of character and antecedents of doctors to be appointed as Authorised Medical Attendants under CS(MA) Rules, 1944 was made, and to clarify that there is no need of verification again at the time of extension of term of AMA which is done on an annual basis. However, it is also advised that an undertaking from the AMA may be taken that "he is not involved in any corrupt practice and no case has been lodged against him at any local police station/CBI/CVC/any court etc."

(Jai Prakash)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

www.mohfw.nic.in

FM asks CMS and Bankers to Improve Credit Flow for Housing, Weaker Sections,Minority Community and Education Loans

FM asks CMS and Bankers to Improve Credit Flow for Housing, Weaker Sections,Minority Community and Education Loans

FM Calls for Integration of Financial Literacy and Financial Inclusion with the Technological Development of Banking Infrastructure in Rural and Semi-Urban areas

Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has asked the state governments and bankers to position themselves to finance the emerging demand for credit from different sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors in their respective regions. He further asked them to make serious efforts to improve the credit flow to housing, weaker sections, minority communities and education loans and closely monitor them through state level bankers committees. The Finance Minister was addressing the Joint Meeting of the Chief Ministers of Central and West Zone States and CEOs /CMDs of public sector banks and Financial Institutions in Mumbai today.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Finance Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Administrator of Union Territory of Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Principal Secretary, Finance of Gujarat State. The meeting was also attended by representatives of RBI and NABARD.

The Finance Minister said that there is a need to ensure that financial literacy and financial inclusion is integrated with the technological development of banking infrastructure in rural and semi –urban areas. He advised the banks to convert savings from semi-urban and rural markets into financial assets through effective financial inclusion. He also stressed on effective implementation of Aam Admi Bima Yojna and Co-contributory Pension Scheme ‘Swavalamban’ as these are important priorities before the government.

This was the second such meeting held with the Chief Ministers and the bankers by the Finance Minister outside Delhi. The first meeting was held on 14th June, 2010 in Patna with the Chief Ministers of East and North-Eastern States and Bankers. The Finance Minister said that the next meeting will be held with the Chief Ministers of Northern Zone and Bankers in Chandigarh early next month.

The complete speech of the Finance Minister made in the meeting in Mumbai today is given below:

“Hon’ble Chief Ministers, Minister of State for Finance Shri Namo Narain Meena, CMDs of Public Sector Banks and representatives of Central and State Governments, RBI, NABARD. First of all, I extend my heartiest welcome to all of you present here today for attending this meeting. It is significant that we are holding the meeting at Mumbai, the financial capital of India. However, we are aware that for long, the financial sector had ignored the needs of the poor, the marginalized, the small farmer, the micro entrepreneur and others like them who exist not very far and also within the city. I have carefully chosen the agenda items today to focus attention on issues affecting such classes of people. You will agree that there is urgent need for including people from all strata in the mainstream banking system and for putting our country firmly on the path of overall growth and development.

A similar meeting was convened recently for the Eastern Zone States in Patna. The focus on delivery of credit to the poor was of primary concern there. We could discuss area specific issues and fix time-lines for improvement there. We hope to achieve a similar objective today, as well, and expect your active participation in the process.

At the outset, I would urge the State Governments and Bankers to position themselves to finance the emerging demand for credit from all sectors in this region, whether from agriculture, manufacturing or services. We have here today an interesting variety of States present. The States of Maharashtra and Gujarat are industrial hubs; the tourism potential of Rajasthan, Goa and the Union Territories of Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu is well known; Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh have impressive agriculture and forest resources. I see the State Governments and the bankers working in close coordination to tap the potential of each State/Union Territory and promoting credit flow into various growth areas.

I would like to outline some of the broad features of credit growth & development in your States.

In the area of Micro and Small Enterprises’ Credit, whereas the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat have shown more than 50% growth in credit flow, other States have reflected lower credit growth. Similarly, though efforts are being made to improve the credit flow to housing, weaker sections, minority community and education loans, the credit growth in these sectors need closer monitoring in the State Level Bankers Committees. In fact, in States where the State Chief Ministers themselves chair the quarterly SLBC meetings, the performance of the banking sector has been seen to be very impressive.

With regard to the Credit Deposit Ratio, I find that except for Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat, all other States in Central and Western Region have a lower CD Ratio than the benchmark of 60%. I request the Chief Ministers to use the forum of SLBC meetings to actively coordinate to see that the CD Ratio in their States is improved.

In the States represented here today I found that there are 15504 habitations with population above 2000 that do not have banking facilities. I had outlined a target in my last budget speech covering such habitations by the year 2012 with banking facility. The Financial Inclusion Plans for coverage of all habitations with banking facilities must be closely monitored by the State Chief Ministers and CEOs of all Public Sector Banks. There is also need to ensure that financial literacy and financial inclusion is integrated with the technological development of banking infrastructure in rural and semi-urban areas. I would particularly ask the five SLBC convenor banks of this region, namely Bank of Maharashtra, Dena Bank, State Bank of India, Central Bank of India and Bank of Baroda to be particularly proactive in this area.

The target of agriculture credit flow is also on our agenda today. This is a critical item for review in the SLBCs, as well. For the current financial year, the target for agriculture credit flow has been fixed at Rs 3,75,000 crores. I find that all the States of this region have increased agriculture credit flow by over 25% during the last year, which I consider to be very good. Further, for the year 2010-11, Government has increased additional interest subvention from 1% to 2% for the prompt paying farmers availing short term loans under the interest subvention scheme. This would imply that a farmer who repays his loans promptly would need to pay only 5% as rate of interest as the banks sanction such loans at 7% interest.

I have noticed that as far as credit to agriculture is concerned, the States of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh have shown remarkable growth. However, the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa need to accelerate their agricultural growth momentum. Housing loans have grown over 25% in all States except Goa. Education loans have shown good growth with 14% growth in number of accounts and 25% growth in amount.

The review of progress of Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the States is another agenda item on which I request assessment from the States. Further, this region, particularly States of Maharashtra & Gujarat, is known for its vibrant cooperative sector. All States in the region have signed the MOU with the Central Government to implement reforms in the Short Term Credit Cooperative Sector (STCCS) except Goa. I expect full implementation of the STCCS Package and request Government of Goa to sign the MOU with GoI and NABARD at the earliest so that recapitalization assistance is released by the Government.

We will also discuss the implementation of Aam Admi Bima Yojana and Co-contributory Pension Scheme ‘Swavalamban’, these being important priorities before the Government. In my meeting with the CEOs of the Public Sector Banks later in the day today, I shall take forward the discussions of our meeting, including issues relating to infrastructure financing.

India’s financial sector is growing today at a fast pace. It provides growth opportunities unparalleled and unmatched by the mature financial markets around the world. I take this opportunity to advise the Banks to convert savings from semi-urban and rural markets into financial assets through effective financial inclusion. With the improvement in banking technology, financial inclusion initiatives will strengthen financial deepening. I appreciate Reserve Bank of India’s efforts at financial inclusion and enhancing financial literacy.

I once again thank all of you for your presence today in the meeting. We will now have a short presentation of the issues for today’s meeting.”

Interim stay of a clause in the ninth bipartite settlement for bank employees

Interim stay of clause in bank staff settlement

The Madras High Court has granted interim stay of a clause in the ninth bipartite settlement for bank employees of April this year requiring contributory provident fund optees to become pension optees upon contributing 2.8 times of the revised pay payable for November 2007 onwards to the Pension Fund.

Justice K. Venkataraman passed the interim order on a petition by the Canara Bank Workers Union, Nungambakkam and R. Radhakrishnan of Nungambakkam, a member of the managing committee of the union.

The petitioners submitted that in the previous pension settlement dated October 29, 1993, and Pension Regulations 1995, there was a provision only for transfer of banks' contribution to the PF account along with accrued interest. There was no provision for payment or transfer of any other additional amount.

While in the seventh and eighth bipartite settlements all employees (both pension and PF optees) had contributed to fund the gap in the Pension Fund, in the present settlement dated April 27, the entire load had been placed only on those employees who wanted to opt for pension now, while the existing pension optees were left free. The contemplated recovery exclusively from the PF optees who wished to join the Pension Fund now amounted to discrimination and was violative of the Constitution.

Mr. Justice Venkataraman ordered notice regarding admission returnable in three weeks.

Source: The Hindu

14 holidays next year for Central Government Employees

14 holidays next year for Central Govt staff

Central government employees will get 17 holidays next year but three of them fall either on a Saturday or Sunday.

According to a list of holidays drawn up for 2011, which released well in advance, three holidays — Mahavir Jayanti (April 16), Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday (October 2) and Christmas (December 25)— fall on Saturday or Sunday, leaving only 14 effective holidays. For employees in Delhi, three days are added to the list as restricted holidays — Maha Shiv Ratri, Ram Navmi and Janmashtmi. The total restricted holidays for the government employees are 35, though 10 of them fall on Saturdays or Sundays when the offices are already closed and hence no need of any employee seeking the particular holiday.

CIC to ask govt for more RTI cells The Central Information Commission will soon ask the government to set up a RTI cell in each department and appoint senior officials as Central Public Information Officers to better response to RTI pleas.

The decision was made at a meeting of the information commission on basis of suggestions of a RTI applicant Satinder Pal Chopra of Bhopal.

Source: Hindustan Times