WELFARE DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL Lt.Col [Retd] HKL Anand

Lt.Col [Retd] HKL Anand, 16/186 Turf View  MiETE KOLKATA 700022

hklanand@gmail.com  08697214059                   

24 Nov 2014

Veterans Cell, MP&PS Dte. Adjutant General`s Branch,  IHQ of MOD (Army)

Room No 278A/1, South Block, DHQ PO, New Delhi 110011

WELFARE DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL

Sir,

The following is submitted for your kind consideration:-

1. ECHS

(a)Refer Para 6 of you letter no B/49851/Vet cell/IESL/Misc dated 10 Jul 2013. It is 16 months past that I was informed about the Photocopiers in Polyclinics but no movement has been seen on the ground. Veterans are incurring expenditure daily.

(b)Veterans are advised to return un-used medicines but it has been seen that many of such returned medicines are expired. Whereas the MRP is printed on the medicines generally yet there are some medicines which are marked ‘CGS/PVMS’, ‘NOT FOR SALE’ and the MRP is not mentioned. MRP of the medicine marked on it serves two purposes. One is as to how advantageous is the Medicare from MH/ECHS, financially for the user. Two, it creates a sense of responsibility in the user to use the medicine carefully and avoid wastage. MRP marking may, therefore, be continued in addition to CGS/PVMS marking.

(c) It has been experienced that equivalent smaller potency medicines are issued if prescribed higher potency medicine is not available and vice versa. A lot of money wasted in this process can be saved and more medicines supplied if the medicines of higher potency only are procured. It will require very little effort on the part of the patient to break the tablet into two parts if a cut is compulsorily provided on all tablets. For example, NICORANDI is prescribed in 5mg and 10mg potencies for heart patients. MRP of 10mg bottle containing 20 tablets is Rs 266/- and that of 5mg bottle is Rs 195.30/-. 10mg, twice a day, i.e., 3 bottles have been prescribed for me. 10mg not being available, I have been issued 5mg in lieu for the last two months. This has cost Rs 2,343.60 instead of Rs 1596/- resulting into a waste of Rs 747.60. Considering that a patient has been prescribed 5mg, twice a day there will be a saving of Rs 186/90 per month, per patient if 10mg bottles are issued. The loss/saving on all India bases can be imagined.

2. CSD

  (a).Although electronic transfer of money from one account to another from any place to any place and from/to any bank has been in practice in the country for quite some time, yet the system of depositing money by Bank Draft for purchasing items on specific demand from CSD is continuing despite a number of benefits of the new system for both, the payer and the payee. The payer has to fill up a form giving bank details of the payee instead of submitting a request for draft and issue a cheque for payment to his bank. Whereas he has to pay bank commission, sometimes running into a few thousands, for making a draft he does not have to pay anything if he has a FLEXI account/ pay a nominal sum otherwise. The payee is not required to prepare a deposit form and send the draft to the bank. The money is transferred in a few seconds as compared to 3-4 days taken by the draft. Confirmation of payment, inherent in the payment by bank draft, can be easily done by the payee even on his mobile phone .This will save a lot of money and extra labor

.

(b) Endorsement on PPO/Discharge Certificate/Record of service. CSD Depot authorities make an endorsement on any one of these documents before releasing a controlled item. This also is an age old procedure. Feasibility of making such endorsement on the smart card may be explored

(c). Smart Cards. Smart Cards have been ordered to be split between Grocery and Liquor and renewed in place of Combined and old cards. When asked as to why it was being done as it involved expenditure of Rs 260/- per head, the canteen management informed that this was an order from above. Imagine the amount involved for the Defence Forces personnel, serving and retired, and the dependants.

3. Ref Para 9 of your letter referred to at Para 1 (a) above. My point pertained to an anomaly in the counting of service as OR before grant of Emergency Commission and not service in the lower ranks after retirement. I request reconsideration.

Thanking you 

                  Yours Sincerely

                  HKL Anand

                              Lt Col (Retd)