Sri Vijaya Puram, June 12: The long-pending demand for a Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) Wellness Centre in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has gained fresh momentum, with the proposal now under active consideration of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare following renewed efforts by Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray.
The development emerged after the MP met senior officials of the CGHS headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday to seek early approval and operationalisation of a CGHS Wellness Centre in Sri Vijayapuram. The proposed facility is expected to benefit thousands of retired government employees, pensioners and their dependents residing across the islands, many of whom currently face challenges in accessing healthcare benefits available to their counterparts on the mainland.
According to a statement issued by the MP’s office, Ray met Dr. Satish, Director of CGHS Headquarters, and reviewed the status of the proposal, which has been pending for several years. During the meeting, the CGHS Director informed the MP that the matter had already been processed at the headquarters level and that recommendations for establishing a CGHS Wellness Centre in Sri Vijayapuram had been forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The MP subsequently took up the matter with the Employees Health Scheme Division of the ministry to ascertain the present status of the proposal. Officials reportedly informed him that the proposal is currently under active examination and that a policy decision regarding the establishment of a CGHS centre in the islands is being considered within the framework of available resources and healthcare infrastructure in the Union Territory.
The proposal assumes significance for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where retired employees often depend on local government healthcare facilities and face logistical challenges when seeking specialised treatment outside the islands. Pensioners’ associations and retired employees have repeatedly highlighted the need for a dedicated CGHS facility to provide access to a wider range of healthcare services and reimbursement mechanisms.
Under the CGHS framework, eligible beneficiaries can access outpatient consultations, diagnostic services, medicines and referrals through designated wellness centres. The scheme also enables cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals across the country, subject to prescribed rules and eligibility conditions.
Supporters of the proposal argue that establishing a CGHS Wellness Centre in Sri Vijayapuram would significantly improve healthcare access for retired central government employees and pensioners settled in the islands. Such a facility would also reduce administrative hurdles faced by beneficiaries in availing treatment benefits and reimbursements.
The MP has been consistently pursuing the issue with both the Union Health Ministry and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, citing the growing healthcare needs of an ageing retired population. Officials familiar with the matter said the demand has gained prominence in recent years as the number of pensioners residing in the islands has increased.
In his interaction with officials, Ray emphasized the welfare implications of the proposal and urged the ministry to expedite the decision-making process. He reportedly pointed out that the establishment of a CGHS centre would provide much-needed healthcare security and peace of mind to retired employees who have served in various government departments.
The MP expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far, while acknowledging that final approval remains subject to a policy decision by the ministry. He reiterated that healthcare accessibility for pensioners should remain a priority and assured stakeholders that he would continue pursuing the matter until the proposal receives formal sanction.
For many retired employees in the islands, the ministry’s consideration of the proposal marks a potentially important step toward bridging a long-standing gap in healthcare coverage. While no timeline has yet been announced for a final decision, the latest developments have raised expectations that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands could soon see their first dedicated CGHS Wellness Centre, bringing central government healthcare benefits closer to eligible beneficiaries in the remote archipelago.
