Senior Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised serious concerns about the functioning of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, alleging that thousands of retired armed forces personnel are facing difficulties in accessing timely and adequate healthcare.
Speaking after interacting with injured veterans at a public outreach programme described as a “Jansansad,” Gandhi said many former servicemen shared troubling experiences regarding the scheme. According to him, beneficiaries highlighted delays in reimbursement claims, shortages of essential medicines, and instances where empanelled hospitals either refused treatment or were removed from the network due to pending payments.
In a post on Facebook, Congress MP wrote, “A few days ago, I met with ex-servicemen, those injured in the line of duty while defending the nation, at the ‘Jansansad’ (Parliament). They highlighted serious deficiencies within the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), such as delays in reimbursement, shortages of medicines, hospitals refusing treatment, or being dropped from the scheme due to the non-payment of outstanding dues.”
“More than 7.2 million ex-servicemen and their families rely on this scheme for their healthcare needs. When I raised this issue in Parliament, the Modi government attempted to evade my questions. The government possesses no information regarding the outstanding dues, nor has it provided any clear explanation for the delays–merely acknowledging that such delays do occur,” the post read.
The Congress MP further stated that when the issue was raised in Parliament, the government failed to provide clear responses. He alleged that authorities could not furnish data on pending dues and did not adequately explain the recurring delays in reimbursements.
Referring to observations by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Gandhi also questioned whether sufficient funding is being allocated to sustain the scheme, noting that concerns about financial gaps flagged by auditors remain unresolved.
He additionally raised issues related to provisions on disability pensions, alleging that proposed taxation measures could negatively impact serving soldiers who continue duty despite injuries. He described such measures as unfair to personnel who have already made significant sacrifices.
Emphasising accountability, Gandhi said the government must ensure that veterans receive dignified and hassle-free healthcare, adding that those who have served the nation deserve a system that operates with efficiency, transparency, and respect.
