Revival of ‘Continuous Empanelment Scheme’ for private hospitals and diagnostic centres under CGHS.

No: S. 11011/23/2009-CGHS D.II/ Hospital Cell (Part IX)
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare

Maulana Azad Road, Nirman Bhawan
New Delhi 110 108 dated the 14th February 2013.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Revival of ‘Continuous Empanelment Scheme’ for private hospitals and diagnostic centres under CGHS

   With a view to ensuring comprehensive health care to CGHS beneficiaries, CGHS has been, apart from the Government Hospitals, empanelling private hospitals and diagnostic centres by floating tenders periodically. The latest tender process in this context commenced in the second half of 2009. Even the already empanelled hospitals (including dental clinics and eye centres) / diagnostic centres under CGHS were required to submit the bids under this tender process. Through this process, package rates for different treatment procedures and investigations were notified in 2010. As a part of this process, certain hospitals and diagnostic centres which accepted these rates and also signed MOAs with CGHS were notified in CGHS covered cities. Subsequently, with a view to empanel more hospitals and diagnostic centers , continuous empanelment scheme was initiated in December 2010 and was in operation till July 2011 in some cities & till 26th December 2011 in some other cities.

   2. However, it has been noticed that the number of hospitals and diagnostic centres notified as empanelled under CGHS is not adequate to provide a satisfactory level of healthcare to CGHS beneficiaries in all areas of CGHS covered cities.

Default ASP and Annuity Scheme for subscribers exiting from NPS and Seeking withdrawal of Accumulated Pension Wealth.

Pension Fund Regulatory and
      Development Authority
        
CIRCULAR

PFRDA/2013/5/PDEX/4

                                 14th February 2013

To,
All POP’s/Aggregators/CRA/ dealing offices of Central & State Governments,

Subject: Default ASP and Annuity Scheme for subscribers exiting  from NPS and Seeking withdrawal of Accumulated Pension Wealth

   PFRDA has empanelled seven Annuity Service Providers (ASP’s) for providing annuity services to NPS subscribers. As per current National Pension System (NPS) exit norms,the subscriber is mandatorily required to select one of the empanelled ASP’s along with an Annuity scheme from those offered by the chosen ASP at the time of exiting from NPS and seeking withdrawal of accumulated pension wealth (for reasons other than death of the subscriber).

   Based on the feedback received from stakeholders seeking provision of a default option to be exercised by the subscriber at the time of selection of the ASP and choosing of an annuity scheme, PFRDA has examined the matter and decided to assist the subscriber by providing a default option.

     After examining the various options provided by the different ASPs, it has been decided to provide for a default ASP and annuity scheme as below:

   1. Default Annuity Service Provider – Life Insurance Corporation of India

   2. Default Annuity Scheme - Annuity for life with a provision of 100% of the annuity payable to spouse during his/her life on death of annuitant’ and Under this option, payment of monthly annuity would cease once the annuitant and the spouse die or after death of the annuitant if the spouse pre-deceases the annuitant, without any return of purchase price.  

   3. However, where the corpus is not adequate to buy the default annuity variant and from  the  default ASP, the subscriber has to compulsorily choose an ASP who offers an annuity at the available corpus in the account of the subscriber.

   Also, it may be noted that this default option is being purely provided in the subscribers’ interest and to avoid any delay in claim processing and is not with a view to endorse/promote any particular ASP or annuity variant being offered by the ASP. 

   The default ASP and the default annuity scheme as above would be applicable for all variants of NPS i.e. Government Sector, Swavalamban and those accounts under NPSlite platform not able to meet the compulsory contribution under Swavalamban scheme, Corporate and All Citizen model.

   This is for the information of all concerned.   The circular has also been placed on PFRDA website at  http://www.pfrda.org.in and CRA website at http://www.npscra.nsdl.co.in.

Yours Faithfully,

Sd/-
  Venkateswarlu Peri
General Manager

Source:http://pfrda.org.in/writereaddata/linkimages/Default%20ASP%20and%20Annuity%20Variant487123241.pdf

Raise I-T exemption limit to Rs 4 lakh: Congress.

   In a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister P Chidambaram here on Thursday, Congress leaders have asked the UPA government to increase the taxable income exemption limit to Rs 4 lakh from the current Rs 2 lakh, while suggesting a pro-people budget with sops for the middle class and farmers keeping  the upcoming elections in mind.

   The meeting was held at the Congress party headquarters. With the rise in fuel prices impacting the ‘aam aadmi’, the meeting saw suggestions for varied pricing of petrol, diesel and cooking gas for people living below poverty line and low income group.

   Senior party leader Oscar Fernandes suggested there was a need to bring down the dependence on petroleum import and more focus on having alternative sources of energy like ethanol, sources said. Fernandes also wanted the government to reduce tax on bidis, noting that employment levels were coming down in the labour-intensive sector due to current tax slab.

   Congress leader Jagdish Tytler suggested that the budget should be formulated in a way that helps the party to connect with people as elections were ahead, sources said.  AICC Secretary P Sudhakar Reddy mooted raising the tax exemption limit of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh, which was endorsed by many other office bearers.

    He also advised linking Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with agriculture to help meet the shortage of farm labour in the sector, besides offering three-year interest-free loans to small farmers for their children’s education.

   Suggestions were also made by party leaders for gender budgeting. Reddy advised the Finance Minister that female assessees could be given higher tax exemption limit.

   There were also demands by many leaders for bringing more clarity on the service tax as it was being interpreted differently in various states.

   Minority Department Chairman Imran Kidwai demanded increase in outlay of the Minority Affairs Ministry and allocation of more funds to minority institutions. He also advised formulation of special scheme for Most Backward Classes for their financial inclusion.
 
   Senior party leader Ajit Jogi complained that central funds were being diverted in many non-congress ruled states by the respective governments, suggesting some mechanism should be developed to check this, “The finance minister told us what are the difficulties and how the Indian economy was kept at a balance despite the tough global economic scenario. Thirty-two of the 46 office bearers present spoke on various issues related to farmers, weavers, education, health and income tax," party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters after the meeting.

Source: www.deccanherald.com