JUSTIFICATION TO SIMPLIFY THE ECHS SMART CARD APPLICTION PROCEDURE AND REDUCE THE COST

ON LINE SMART CARD APPLICATION  FOR ISSUE OF ECHS SMART CARD.

REQUEST TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCEDURE FOR EXISTING CARD HOLDERS

JUSTIFICATION TO SIMPLIFY THE ECHS SMART CARD APPLICTION PROCEDURE

AND REDUCE THE COST

1.      At present all the beneficiaries of ECHS are holding valid ECHS Smart card.  These cards were issued after elaborate documentations and verification. The relevant hard copies for justifying the issue of Cards are already with the Regional offices.  Therefore calling for a fully new application, that too on line is not considered necessary.

2.      Considering the cost involved for applying for a new Smart card, (Rs.177 for each member, Cost of Scanning entire Discharge book followed by 9 to 10 documents will cost around Rs.250 to Rs.300.  In some rural areas, the scanning charges are heavy.  Then the process of preparing the application on line requires some special skill by the Internet Kiosk operators, for which they may charge heavily.  As a whole an ECHS member having his wife, two children and two dependent parents will have to spend for this new card as follows:-

               Cost of 6 Smart Cards. (177 x 6)                               Rs.1,062

  Cost of 6 individual Pass port size Photos:               Rs.   420

 Charges for Scanning all the documents including

Photos.                              ..            ..        ..          .Rs.   300

     Charges for uploading the online application.(min) Rs.   250

   Advocate fee for affidavit ..(Min)  …                    ..  Rs.   250

    PAN card for each member (150 x 6)       ..          ..   Rs.   900

Total          ..          ..          ..          ..          ..          .Rs.3,182

A member with the above family size will have to spend minimum Rs.3,182 for applying this Smart Card.  This is too much for poor veterans and family pensioners.

3.      The Cost of Smart card (Dual interface Cards) fixed is Rs.177.  This is very much on the high side.  There are a number of Smart Card making companies offering Smart cards at a very cheaper rate in New Delhi.  For about 2 Million cards the average cost will not come more than Rs.75. (An enquiry through the internet revealed that the cost is around Rs.75 only) We therefore request the ECHS Central Organization to reconsider the cost of the Card.

4.      Already the members have taken two cards.  This is the Third Card within a period of 13  

years.  What is the difficulty in continuing the 32 Kb. Card now ?

5.      What is the guarantee that this 64 Kb Cards will be able to store all the details of the patients treatment ?  Will there be any attempt to change the card to 1 Mb or 1 Gb. In future ?

6.      It was told that the 32 Kb cards will store patient information.  But so far no such details available with the Card.  The contracts with the Smart Card companies should be transparent and the details should be published in the website. 

7.      The available hard copies for issue of previous Smart cards with the Regional centers may be taken out, Scanned and linked with the new application so as to reduce the cost of scanning by the members.

8.      Many family pensioners from rural areas do not know what is PAN Card.  Again they have to spend sizeable amount for getting this PAN Card. 

9.      Many aged members are living lonely life without any help from their children.  They have to depend some agency to do this job for them, for which they have to pay whatever they demand.  Most of the ex-servicemen welfare associations not having internet facility to help their members.

10.  Govt. of India is encouraging self attestation and abolition of affidavits.  We do not understand, why the ECHS Organization is not implementing self attestation.

11.  Temporary slip is issued after receiving all the documents.  They have paid all charges just few months back.  Now again asking them to pay Rs.177 is not in order.

12.  The data entry for the new smart card for the temporary slip holders may be done at Regional Centre level.

13.  The members have to be dependent on the Internet centers/Browsing centers to correct any observation raised by the Record offices.  This again involves undue expenses.

There are many more such issues to be discussed before launching this new application for smart card.  As long as it does not cost any extra payment to the member, it is ok.  But this is not so.  Therefore, we are compelled to submit this memorandum for your consideration.

Please consider to reduce the Cost of making new smart card by any means.  Some suggestion may be called from members for reducing the cost.

Aged members and Family pensioners are the worst sufferers in this scheme.

PLEASE SIMPLIFY THE PROCEDURE AND REDUCE COST