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Central Information Commission

Y Sreenivasa Rao vs Central Government Health Service ... on 27 April, 2026

                               के ीय सूचना आयोग
                         Central Information Commission
                            बाबा गंगनाथ माग, मुिनरका
                          Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
                          नई िद     ी, New Delhi - 110067
File No: CIC/CGHSD/C/2025/613988


Y Sreenivasa Rao                                        ....िशकायतकता /Complainant


                                        VERSUS
                                         बनाम
CPIO
CGHS HQ, CGHS Bhawan Sector -
13 R. K. Puram New Delhi
110066                                                  ..... ितवादीगण /Respondent


Date of Hearing                     :   23.04.2026
Date of Decision                    :   23.04.2026

INFORMATION COMMISSIONER :               Jaya Varma Sinha

Relevant facts emerging from complaint:

RTI application filed on            :   20.12.2024
CPIO replied on                     :   Not on record
First appeal filed on               :   21.01.2025
First Appellate Authority's order   :   Not on record
Complaint dated                     :   24.03.2025

Information sought

:

1. The Complainant filed an RTI application dated 20.12.2024 (online) seeking the following information:

"The following information under RTI act was sought against your office letter dated CGHS Hyd Cards Sec 11 407 409 Dated 19.12.24 addressed to Director Admin DOT Hyderabad. copy enclosed.

Following information under RTI Act please be provided. 1 Copies of the showcause notice issued to srikara hospital 2 copies of the replies given by srikara hospital.

3 copy of Admission letter dated 28 Aug 24 containing CGHS ID, signature of the Billing person on duty of Srikara hospital, IP ID allotted was enclosed. As per the Arogyasree cashless treatment is done and no cash is to be collected. Also, claim bill will directly goto arogyasree. where as in this case Rs 120000 was collected and original claim bill was issued to me. Reason for not taking into account while issuing the letter stating that she was admitted under Arogyasree. 4 original bills issued by Srikara hospital were forwarded to your office. on what evidence inference of availing medical facility from two sources was drawn may please provided.

5 Email copy sent to Srikara Hospital email regarding intimation about emergency admission to CGHS was sent to your office through email and physical copy by post. Reasons for not tskimg aforesaid into account before concluding that admission was based on Arogya sree ?

6 it was mentioned the above reference that rules wont permit possessing both CGHS and Arogyasree IDs. Share the copy of the said rule"

2. The CPIO reply is not on record.

3. Being dissatisfied, the Complainant filed a First Appeal dated 21.01.2025.

The FAA order is not available on record.

4. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, Complainant approached the Commission with the instant Complaint.

Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:

The following were present:-

Complainant: Absent.

Respondent: Dr. Srinivas Murthy, Nodal Officer, attended the hearing in person.

5. The Complainant did not participate in the hearing.

6. The Respondent submitted that their office has neither received the instant RTI Application nor received the First Appeal at the initial stage on the online CGHS portal of Delhi. He apprised the Bench of the fact that the Public Authority i.e., Central Government Health Scheme was inadvertently opened by the DOPT and their office have sent many requests to the close the abandoned portal. Upon receipt of the hearing notice from the Commission, their office has received the RTI Application along with the hearing notice form the Commission and a suitable reply based on available records has been given to the Complainant vide letter dated 17.04.2026.

7. A written submission has been received from Shri Shashidhar Javaji, CPIO- cum-SMO, vide letter dated 17.04.2026, a copy of which has been sent to the Complainant and the same has been taken on record. The relevant extract of the same is as under:

"With reference to the above mentioned RTI CIC hearing and CIC notice received at this office on 10-04-2026, by Email:-

1). I wish to submit that I am Dr. Sashidhar Javaji, SMO, presently working as CPIO of O/o Additional Director, CGHS Hyderabad, w.e.f.16-01-2026.

2). 1 am presenting the case before this Hon'ble Information Commissioner as per the official material information available with me and Dr. Rohini Prathaban Additional Director & First Appellate Authority, under the purview of my constitutional responsibility as the present CPIO representing the O/o Additional Director, CGHS Hyderabad.

3). Request filed in RTI application:

1. Copies of the show cause notice issued to srikara hospital

2. Copies of the replies given by srikara hospital.

3. Copy of Admission letter dated 28 Aug 24 containing CGHS ID, signature of the Billing person on duty of Srikara hospital, IP ID allotted was enclosed. As per the Arogyasri cashless treatment is done and no cash is to be collected. Also, claim bill will directly go to arogyasri, where as in this case Rs 120000 was collected and original claim bill was issued to me. Reason for not taking into account while issuing the letter stating that she was admitted under Arogyasri

4. Original bills issued by Srikara hospital were forwarded to your office, on what evidence inference of availing medical facility from two sources was drawn may please provided. Request document/if any) Status Date of Action

5. Email copy sent to Srikara Hospital email regarding intimation about emergency admission to CGHS was sent to your office through email and physical copy by post. Reasons for not taking aforesaid into account before concluding that admission was based on Arogyasri?

6. It was mentioned the above reference that rules won't permit possessing both CGHS and Arogyasri ID's. share the copy of the said rule Background This office received a letter dated 07.10.2024 from the Director (Admin & HR), O/o Special DG Telecom, APLSA, Hyderabad regarding the medical claim of Shri Y. Sreenivasa Rao, DDG (Rural), APLSA, Hyderabad. The grievance was that his mother, Smt. Y.V. Satyavathi, a dependent CGHS beneficiary, was charged corporate rates by Srikara Hospital, Vijayawada, instead of CGHS-prescribed tariff.

Accordingly, a Show Cause Notice dated 12.11.2024 was issued to the hospital seeking explanation for contravening the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Agreement with CGHS.

Reply from Hospital The hospital submitted its reply vide letter dated 19.11.2024, stating that:

The patient was admitted on 28.08.2024 under NTR Vaidya Seva (Aarogyasri Scheme) for cashless treatment, which is applicable to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

Patient details furnished:

UHID No.: 10068470078 Registration No.: CASE/5728/AP/9525644 dated 28.08.2024 The hospital enclosed Aarogyasri registration documents and clarified that the patient opted for services under the State Government scheme, not CGHS.

CGHS Eligibility Rules As per CGHS guidelines:

Only Central Government employees/pensioners and eligible categories can enroll under CGHS.

Beneficiaries availing State Government health schemes are not permitted to simultaneously claim CGHS benefits.

The CGHS website and beneficiary guidelines specify that only Central Government employees/pensioners and eligible categories can enroll. If a person is already availing a State Government Health Scheme, they are not permitted to simultaneously claim CGHS benefits.

Findings Based on the documents submitted by Srikara Hospital, it is evident that: The patient was admitted under State Government Aarogyasri Scheme. The claimant attempted to avail benefits under both CGHS and State Government free health scheme, which is not permissible under CGHS rules. The hospital did not contravene CGHS MoA terms, as the treatment was provided under Aarogyasri Scheme provisions.

Conclusion The grievance raised by Shri Y. Sreenivasa Rao is not tenable under CGHS rules, as dual benefits from CGHS and State Government schemes cannot be claimed simultaneously."

Decision

8. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case and perusal of the records, observes that the answering Respondent has neither received the instant RTI Application nor received the First Appeal at CIC/CGHSD/C/2025/613988 Page 4 of 5 the initial stage on the online CGHS portal of Delhi since the Appellant/Complainant has filed RTI Application before Central Government Health Scheme. It is pertinent to mention that the Public Authority i.e., Central Government Health Scheme was inadvertently opened by the DOPT and is left abandoned.

9. The Commission further observes that upon receipt of the hearing notice from the Commission, the answering Respondent has provided a suitable reply vide letter dated 17.04.2026. Hence, no intervention of the Commission is required in the instant case.

10. Be that as it may, the Commission observes that there is a parallel RTI portal for the Respondent Public Authority, which has been abandoned, but few Applicants are still filing RTI Applications on that portal. Therefore, an Advisory under Section 25 (5) of the RTI Act is issued to the Respondent Public Authority to look into the matter and initiate the process for removal of the same after consulting DOPT. The Respondent Public Authority is further advised to initiate the process of transferring the balance RTI Applications from the abandoned portal to the new portal, so that they can be replied as per the provisions of RTI Act. The CPIO and FAA is directed to place a copy of this order before the competent authority to take necessary action.

The Complaint is dismissed accordingly.

Jaya Varma Sinha (जया वमा िस ा) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) Authenticated true copy (अिभ मािणत स ािपत ित) (Ashutosh Vasistha) Dy. Registrar 011- 26107042 CIC/CGHSD/C/2025/613988 Page 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-

1. It is recommended to make following necessary changes/practices of PA in relation to the maintenance, management and destruction of records- Advisory under Section 25(5)

2. Any other recommendation(s) to secure compliance with the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005-

Advisory under Section 25(5) Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)