Dehradun, August 11, 2026: The Uttarakhand government has taken up issues related to the Golden Card healthcare scheme for government employees and pensioners. A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Health Minister to discuss the shortcomings in the scheme, payment of pending medical claims and measures to make the scheme more effective and employee-friendly.
The meeting was organised on the initiative of the Secretariat Employees’ Association and was attended by representatives of various employees’ and pensioners’ organisations. The participants discussed medical claims pending with the State Health Authority since October 2025, along with the demand to bring the Golden Card scheme fully in line with the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
Seven-point agenda placed before the Health Minister
Before the meeting, the Secretariat Employees’ Association coordinated with various employee organisations and prepared a consensus-based agenda. The key demands included:
- Early payment of medical claims pending since October 2025.
- Additional budgetary provision by the state government along with employee contributions, instead of repeated gap funding.
- Full implementation of the Golden Card scheme on the lines of CGHS.
- Setting up a dedicated grievance redressal portal at the State Health Authority.
- Inclusion of representatives of employee organisations in quarterly grievance review meetings.
- Extending healthcare benefits, subject to prescribed norms, to dependent family members above 25 years of age.
- Effective action against arbitrary practices by hospitals regarding treatment and payments.
- Concrete steps towards making various OPD-related services cashless.
Demand to bring Golden Card on CGHS lines
Representatives of the employee and pensioner organisations unanimously demanded that the Golden Card scheme be implemented fully on the lines of CGHS.
They also emphasised that since regular contributions are deducted from employees and pensioners, they should receive quality and uninterrupted cashless healthcare facilities under the scheme.
The organisations further called for a permanent solution to the recurring gap-funding issue and urged the government to make additional budgetary provisions on the lines of the Ayushman scheme.
Government to assess requirement for additional funds
Following detailed discussions and representations by the employee organisations, the Health Minister acknowledged the need for additional budgetary support from the state government.
The minister directed the concerned officials to assess the financial requirement and initiate the process for allocation of the necessary funds.
The issue of alleged arbitrary practices by hospitals in treatment and payment-related matters was also discussed, with the need for effective corrective measures being emphasised.
OPD cashless facility to be discussed again
To improve the functioning of the Golden Card scheme, the Health Minister directed officials to maintain regular coordination with employee organisations.
The Chairperson of the State Health Authority and Secretary, Health have been instructed to hold another meeting with major employee organisations and finalise the proposal for making various OPD-related services cashless.
The minister also directed that employee organisations should be taken into confidence before the decisions taken in the meeting are finalised.
Minutes of meeting to be issued by August 18
The Health Minister directed that the minutes of the meeting be issued by August 18, 2026.
Officials have also been instructed to hold consultations with representatives of employee organisations and finalise the implementation framework of the decisions taken during the meeting.
The developments are expected to provide relief to employees and pensioners who have been facing delays and other difficulties under the Golden Card scheme.
Representatives of several organisations attend meeting
Representatives of the Secretariat Employees’ Association and various employee and pensioner organisations attended the meeting, including Deepak Joshi, Arun Pandey, Rajendra Raturi, Rakesh Joshi, Shakti Prasad Bhatt, Mukesh Bahuguna, Ravindra Singh Rana, Er. Ramesh Chandra Sharma, Vinod Thapa, Jagveer Singh Kharola, Sudha Kukreti, Soban Singh Rawat, Ashok Raj Uniyal, Ashok Chaudhary, Dr. Ankit Joshi, Suman Singh Baldia, Pancham Bisht, Sanjay Sharma, Pramila Tamta, Atul Kumar, Reena Makhanwal, Surendra Rawat, Divyanshu Dobhal, Girish Bhatt, R.P. Pant, Chaudhary Omveer Singh, Dharmendra Rawat, Sabar Singh Rawat and Banwari Lal, among others.
‘Employees and pensioners must get uninterrupted cashless treatment’
Rajendra Raturi, General Secretary of the Secretariat Employees’ Association, said the meeting was convened on the association’s initiative to bring various employee organisations onto a common platform and make a collective effort towards finding a permanent solution to the problems associated with the Golden Card scheme.
He said that since regular contributions are being collected from employees and pensioners, they must be provided quality, uninterrupted and effective cashless medical treatment in return.
The government’s follow-up action on pending medical claims, additional budgetary support, cashless OPD services and implementation of the Golden Card scheme on CGHS lines will now be closely watched.
