Lok Sabha Question No. 2165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Hospitals empanelled under ECHS
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2165

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 th  July, 2022

## HOSPITALS EMPANELLED UNDER ECHS

2165. SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a) the salient features of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS);
- (b) the number of beneficiaries who have availed services through ECHS during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) the amount spent by the Department of Ex-Servicemen under the scheme during the said period; and
- (d) the hospitals empanelled under ECHS in Andhra Pradesh, district-wise?

## A  N  S  W  E  R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

- (a):  (i)  ECHS  became  operational  on  01 st April,  2003  for  Ex-Servicemen  drawing  defence pension  alongwith  their  eligible  dependents.  The  Scheme  provides  cashless  and  capless medical benefits to approximately 55 lakh beneficiaries. Special sanction of the Government of  India  has  been  granted  on  07 th March,  2019  to  World  War-II  Veterans,  Emergency Commissioned Officers, Short Service Commissioned Officers and Pre Mature Retirees by waiving  off  the  mandatory  conditions  of  being  Ex-Serviceman  and  drawing  pension  from Controller of Defence Accounts.
- (ii)      ECHS provides medical services through a vast network of 427 ECHS Polyclinics in India, 06 in Nepal, 30 ECHS Regional Centres and Empanelled Health Care Organizations.
- (iii) Personnel from the following organisations/ categories, apart from the Tri Services, are entitled for ECHS membership:-
- (1) Territorial Army.
- (2) Defence Security Corps.
- (3) Uniformed Indian Coast   Guard.
- (4) Military Nursing Service.
- (5) Special Frontier Force.
- (6) Nepal Domiciled Gorkha.
- (7) Whole Time NCC Officers.
- (8) Army Postal Service.
- (9) Assam Rifles
- (10) World War II Veterans, Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs), Emergency Commissioned Officers(ECOs) & Pre Mature Retirees.

- (b):  Around  1.65  Crore  beneficiaries  have  availed  medical  services  and  17.65  Lakh beneficiaries  have  availed  dental  services  through  ECHS  in  the  last  three  years  and  the current year.
- (c):  The amount spent by the Department of Ex-Servicemen under the scheme during the last three years is Rs. 14,637.89 Crores and for the current year is Rs. 1768.38 Crores (as on 07 July 2022).
- (d):    District  wise  details  of  Empanelled  Health  Care  Organization  (HCOs)  in  Andhra Pradesh are as under:-

| Sr. No.   | District      |   Empanelled HCOs |
|-----------|---------------|-------------------|
| 1.        | Krishna       |                09 |
| 2.        | Anantapur     |                01 |
| 3.        | Chittoor      |                04 |
| 4.        | West Godavari |                02 |
| 5.        | Guntur        |                09 |
| 6.        | Prakasham     |                01 |
| 7.        | Kurnool       |                01 |
| 8.        | Nellore       |                02 |
| 9.        | Kadapa        |                02 |
| 10.       | Visakhapatnam |                13 |
| 11.       | East Godavari |                06 |
| 12.       | Srikakulam    |                03 |
| Total     | Total         |                53 |

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