POLICY ON AVAILING ECHS FACILITIES BY ESM PENSIONERS ON JOINING DSC

ESM Pensioners Who Have Retired On or After 01 Apr 2003. ESM pensioners of Armed Forces who have retired from Armed Forces on or after 01 Apr 2003 are compulsory ECHS members and are in possession of ECHS Smart Cards. DSC Records will retrieve ECHS Smart Cards of such Ex-Servicemen and will dispatch the same by courier to Central Organisation ECHS for cancellation of their membership. These personnel will apply for fresh ECHS membership three months prior to their discharge from DSC Service.

(b) ESM Pensioners Who Have Retired On or Before 31 Mar 2003. ESM pensioners of Armed Forces who have retired from Armed Forces on or before 31 Mar 2003 are permitted to join ECHS on a voluntary basis. However, these ESM pensioners are also NOT permitted to utilize medical facilities of two Govt Schemes simultaneously ie Service Hospital facilities and ECHS facilities. DSC Records would ascertain details of persons who are ESM pensioners and are serving in DSC and have joined ECHS and would recover ECHS Smart Cards from them. Smart Card colleted from such DSC persons would be forwarded to Central Organisation ECHS for cancellation. These persons will also apply afresh for grant of ECHS membership without making fresh ECHS Contribution six months prior to their discharge from DSC Service.

http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/echs/policy/ops/op_page18.htm