ECHS, Canteen Services, AOBEF

"REPORT MY SIGNALS"

ECHS.

The rates of ECHS contributions have been revised downwards for all except the new top bracket. As per my understanding all officers of the rank of Brig and below will be benefited by it. Please see the Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49784/AG/ECHS dated 15 Jan 2005 reproduced below at Appendix A. Please also see the note added by me at the end of letter for definition of 'Dearness Pension'.

The letter has been received by me kind courtesy Brig VA Subramanayam. We thank him for this help to all of us.

Detailed procedure for claiming the amount over paid is being found out by Brig VA Subramanayam. A further communication on the subject will follow soon.

Please give wide publicity to this information among the ex-service personnel you know.

canteen services

Officers, who have taken premature retirement, do not seem to be aware of it. It is to inform all officers who took premature retirement, that they are entitled to canteen services for the following items:-

1. Indigenous canteen stores less specially allotted/ short supply items.

2. Indigenous liquor in accordance with the scales approved from time to time and subject to excise restrictions.

Those of you who need more information on the subject, may please write to me.

Kindly give wide publicity to this information.

Army Officers Benevolent Fund.

Those of you, who have completed 75 years of age, are entitled to a grant of Rs 50,000.00 from the Army Officers Benevolent Fund. If you have not claimed the amount and want to know more, please write back to me. I will provide you more information.

Kindly share this information among the retired Army Officers in your city. (In case of demise of an officer, during service or later before completing 75 years, this amount is payable to the next of kin immediately after the demise of the officer. It is also applicable to officers settled abroad.)

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Appendix A

LETTER REGARDING ECHS

A copy of the Central Organisation ECHS letter No B/49784/AG/ECHS dated 15 Jan 2005 is given below.

Please refer Corrigendum No 22(1)/01/US(WE)/D(Res) dated 01 Apr 2003 to GOI MOD letter No 22(1)/01/US(WE)/D(Res) dated 30 Dec 2002

Based on the GOI Min of Health and Family Welfare, Dept of Health
OM No. S-11011/6/98 CGHS(P) dated 20 Sep 04, a case has been submitted by the MOD and it has been decided at the appropriate level that with effect from
01 Apr 2004, the rates of the ECHS contribution will be as per the new slab given below:-

Existing slab	New slab	Contribution in Rs.
Pension/Family pension (Rs per month)	Revised pension/family pension(Uncommuted basic pension + Dearness pension) (Rs per month)
Upto Rs. 1500/-	Upto Rs. 3000/-	1800/-
Rs. 1501/- to Rs.3000/-	Rs. 3001/- to Rs. 6000/-	4800/-
Rs. 3001/- to Rs. 5000/-	Rs. 6001/- to Rs. 10,000/-	8400/-
Rs. 5001/- to Rs. 7500/-	Rs. 10,001/- to Rs. 15000/-	12,000/-
Rs. 7501/- and above	Rs. 15001/- and above	18,000/-

The ECHS subscription will be charged from the pensioners/dependents on the basis of their uncommuted basic pension plus Dearness Pension.

Refunds of excess remittance of ECHS subscription over and above the subscription paid should be made as per procedure mentioned at para 27 of CGDA�s �Most Important Circular� No AT/IV/4807/ECHS dated 29 Oct 2003. Extract of the same as follows:-

�The refund of excess remittance of ECHS subscriptions over and above will be afforded by the concerned PCDA/CDA to the beneficiaries on receipt of a pre-receipted contingent bill duly countersigned by the ECHS authorities along with a xerox copy of the MRO.�

This has the concurrence of the MOD.

Wide publicity should be given to this letter.

Sd xxxxxxxx

(VK Dua)

Lt Gen (Retd)

MD, ECHS

Dearness Pension

This term came into existence a few months ago, when the Government of India merged a major part of the Dearness Allowance, equal to 50% of the basic pay/ pension, in the pay of the serving government employees and pension of the retired personell. Dearness Pension is 50% of the basic uncommuted pension, which we started getting wef 01 Jan 1996 (or later if you retired after 01 Jan 1996). For example, the pension of a Brigadier as on 01 Jan 1966, was Rs 9,550.00, the Dearness Pension becomes Rs 4,775.00. Hence in this example the pension plus Dearness Pension = Rs 14,325.00. As per the earlier instructions, a Brigadier had to pay Rs 18,000.00 as the slab then was Rs 7501/- and above. Now, under the revised slab a Brigadier is in the slab Rs 10,001 to 15,000 and thus suppose to pay only Rs 12,000.00. Thus a Brig who has paid Rs 18,000.00 is eligible for a refund of Rs 6,000.00.

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