Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS-97) NFIR writes to Rly Board

NFIR writes to the Secretary (E), Railway Board regarding the time limit for joining as member in Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI . 110055

Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (lTF)

No.II/13A/Part II

Dated: 22.4.2019

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS-97) – reg.

Ref: Railway Board’s letter No. 2011/H/28/1/RELHS/Court Case dated 31/05/2012.

Kind attention of Railway Board is invited to the instructions issued vide Board’s letter dated 31/05/2012 wherein the Railway Board had decided to allow pre-March 2009 retirees to be members of the RELHS-97 and also for post March 2009 onwards, the retirees shall be the Members of the Scheme. The Railway Board while allowing pre-March 2009 retirees the RELHS-97 Membership without any time limit, had imposed restriction of one year for March, 2009 onwards retirees to become Members of the Scheme.

Instances have been brought to the notice of the Federation by our affiliated Unions that on many Zonal Railways/PUs there are good number of retired Railway employees or their dependent family members belonging to the period post March 2009 and upto 31/05/2012 who could not avail the opportunity during the one year period, are now requesting to joining the Scheme. These retired employees or their dependent families have been living in rural areas and were unaware of the provision for joining RELHS-97 at that point of time. Some of our affiliated Unions took up the issue all Zonal level in the PNM forum where the same has been pending for more than two years due to the reason that decision on this subject is required to be given by the Railway Board. Federation feels that the Railway Board would appreciate the circumstances under which the retired employees could not join the Scheme when opportunity was provided.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly consider the above points and issue modified instructions to enable the retired employees/ widows who retired during the period March, 2009 upto 31/05/2012 to join as members of RELHS-97 without any time limit. A copy of the instructions issued may be endorsed to the Federation.

Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source : NFIR