AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 120 of 170 place. No entitled ECHS membership Cardholder is required to pay any money for treatment at ECHS polyclinic/empanelled hospital. Question No 47. Where will the computerized application forms be available? Do those ESM who have submitted their normal application forms earlier need to fill in the computerized forms? Answer. a) A sample Computerised application form has been prepared and forwarded to all Command HQs by Central Organization, ECHS. The forms will be distributed under the aegis of Command HQs through Stn HQs. ECHS Central Org does not issue forms directly. Ex-Servicemen should contact Stn HQs/CSD Canteens and Kendriya/Rajya Sainik Boards for the forms. b) No. ECHS does not wish to inconvenience pensioners. Therefore, those pensioners/widows who have already submitted the old forms do NOT have to refill the new computerized forms. Their computer forms shall be filled-in on their behalf by the Station HQs staff. When c) the ESM pensioners visit the Stn HQs to collect their Membership SMART Cards, they will be required to sign their computerized forms. Question No 48. By when are the ECHS membership SMART Cards likely to be issued? Is it essential for an ESM to hold a SMAP T Card to be eligible for ECHS facilities? Answer. (a) Smart Cards are proposed to be issued to members joining the Scheme for which the tender procedures are currently under way. It will take some time (3-4 months) before cards can be issued to members. The current expectation is that SMART Cards may be issued sometime from 01 Oct 2003 onwards. All efforts are being put in to ensure early issue. (b) We also wish to mention that ECHS membership card shall only be issued to those pensioners/widows whose cases have been fully scrutinized/verified after detailed examination of documents. Merely submitting a form or MRO does not make a pensioner an ECHS member. Question No 49. Can the Application forms be provided from locations other than those specified earlier – for example, can they be provided at air bases or naval establishments? Can the scrutiny & verification of forms be done at locations other than designated Station HQs? Is it necessary to submit the Affidavit? Answer. (a) Distribution of application forms. The printing/distribution of application form, as well as points of distribution, has been left entirely to Army/Naval/Air Force Command Headquarters. ESM may approach the concerned MG IC Adm/COS/SASO in case they feel the forms should be distributed from other locations. (b) Receipt and scrutiny/verification of application forms. The receipt, scrutiny and verification of the forms are a legal requirement to prevent entry of wrong personnel. Also the ECHS organisation does not wish to retain any original documents of pensioner. Hence the forms will have to be submitted in person to any of designated 104 Military stations and it is regretted that this duty cannot be assigned to Rajya Sainik Board Officers. (c) Requirement of Affidavit. The requirement of affidavit cannot be waived as it is legal document in which most operative portion is Para 9. In case of misuse, submission of fraudulent information and any other misdemeanor the ECHS has the right to take legal action. Therefore it is regretted that the affidavit cannot be waived and can be signed by Notary Public.