IREC Rule No.602: Extent of Application

602. (Section B) Extent Of Application:-

Sub-section 1: Railway Servants Employed In The Office Of The Railway Board, The Research, Designs & Standards Organization And Office Of  The Railway Liaison Officer, At New Delhi And Their Families:-

All railway servants employed in the offices of the Railway Board, the Research, Designs and Standards Organization and the Railway Liaison Office whose headquarters are at New Delhi and their families, shall be entitled Medical Attendance and Treatment in accordance with such rules as may be issued from time to time by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for medical attendance and treatment of Central Government servants having their headquarters at Delhi and New Delhi.

Note-1: Railway servants of the Research Designs and Standards Organization and their families while employed at the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and at Tatanagar will be governed by the Railway Medical Attendance Rules contained in Part-II and will be attached  the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and the Eastern Railway respectively.

Note-2: Railway servants of Groups ‘A’ & ‘B’ who are governed by the rules in Sub Section 2 may, on appointment in the offices mentioned in this rule, may be allowed to exercise an option to be governed by the rules in Sub Section 1 or to continue to be governed by the rules in Sub Section 2. A similar option may be allowed in the case of groups ‘C’ & ‘D’ employees governed by the rules in Part-II who come to the Railway Board’s office from railways on deputation for limited period.  Those electing the rules in Sub Section 2 will be regarded as attached to the Northern Railway for this purpose.  

Sub-section 2: Railway Employees:- 

Medical attendance and treatment facilities shall be available, free of charge, to all Railway employees and their family members and dependent relatives, irrespective of whether they are in Group ‘A’, Group ‘B’, Group ‘C’, Group ‘D’, whether they are permanent or temporary, in accordance with the detailed rules as given in Section ‘C’ of this chapter.

Note: Railway staff employed in the offices mentioned below shall be regarded as attached to Railway Administration;

1. Advance Permanent Way Training School, Pune,
2. Railway Staff College, Vadodara,
3. Director Railway Movement, Kolkata,
4. RRB Chairman where located,
5. Chief Mining Engineer (Dy.Coal Commissioner Production),
6. RDSO, Lucknow,
7. Dy.Director Railway Stores, Kolkata,
8. DLW, Varanasi,
9. CLW, Chittaranjan,
10. DCW, Patiala,
11. Wheel & Axle Plant, Bangalore,
12. Railway Rates Tribunal, Chennai,
13. Chairman & Vice Chairman of Railway Claims Tribunal at places where located,
14. Chairman, Vice-Chairman & Members, Indian Railway School of Signal and Telecommunication Engineering, Secunderabad,
15. Tank Wagon Controller, Bombay,
16. MTP, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi,
17. ICF, Perambur.

[Authority: Rule 916(i) under Rule 916 & 918-RI, Paras 1403(b), 1405 & 2306 of Indian Railway Establishment Manual and Ministry of Railway’s letter No.69/H/1/38, 06.10.1969, No.71/H/1-1/35, 05.11.1971, No.80/H/6-1/3, 22.02.1980 and No.89/H/10/1, 30.11.1989]

Sub-section 3: Railway Employees On Leave / Leave Preparatory To Retirement / Post Retirement Leave:-      

A railway employee on leave including LPR is eligible for medical attendance and treatment.

[Authority: Rule 913 R-I & Para 1410 of IREM]

Sub-section 4: Retired Railway Employee On Re-Employment:-

Retired railway employees on re-employment in the Railways are entitled to free medical attendance and treatment facilities free of charge as per details given in Section ‘C’ of this chapter.

[Authority: No.E51ME1/3/3, 26.02.1951]

Sub-section 5: Officers And Staff Of The Commissioner of Railway Safety:-

The staff and officers attached to this establishment are entitled for free medical attendance and treatment for self and family members in accordance with the detailed rules as given in Section ‘C’ of this Chapter, irrespective of whether they were transferred from the Railways or recruited directly by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

[Authority: No.66/H/16/3, 16.02.1966]

Sub-section 6: Audit staff:- 

Medical attendance and treatment to the extent available to the Railway employees of corresponding status will be available free of charge to the Railway Audit staff and family members in accordance with the detailed rules as given in Section ‘C’ of this Chapter.

Audit staff attached to Railways should exercise option if they want Railway medical facilities for treatment under Railway or may continue their treatment under the Central Health Services.

[Authority: No.E46ME39/3, 24.06.1946 & No.64/H/6/158, 09.11.1964]

Sub-section 7: Railway Employees On Deputation To RITES/IRCON:- 

Railway employees on deputation to the above organizations may be permitted to continue to avail the medical facilities in accordance with the detailed rules as given in section ‘C’ of this Chapter. However, RITES / IRCON should pay annual contribution on the basis of per capita expenditure on a Railway employee on All India Railway Basis, multiplied by the number of Railway employees on deputation, who have opted for these rules.

[Authority: No.79/H/6-3/8, 18.07.1980]

Sub-section 8: Free Medical facilities to whole time employees and officers employed by AIRF / NFIR:-  

1. Whole time employees of Zonal recognized Unions Federations are entitled to free medical treatment for self only.            
2. Family members of whole time employees of aforesaid federation / Unions in the hospitals and Health Units is limited to outdoor treatment only.

[Authority: No.90/H/6-7/13, 22.06.1995]

Sub-section 9: Quasi Railway Organization:- 

(I)    Free medical attendance and treatment facilities are available to the staff themselves of the

(i)   Consumer Cooperative Societies

(ii)    Staff Benefit Fund Committees

(iii)   Railway Institutes

(iv)  Railway Officer’s Club

(v)   Station Committees

The family members of these employees will be given free OPD treatment.

(II)  The family members of the staff of Consumer Co-operative Societies may be given medical attendance and treatment on per capita basis, the charge being calculated on the basis of total expenditure on medical services on All India basis excluding the cost of health service.

(III)Medical attendance and treatment facilities are available to the staff and their families of the Co-operative Credit Societies and Bank on per capita basis as stated above.

Note: The staff of the canteens on Railways run by cooperative Societies specially formed for the purpose and in the Ministry of Railway’s office may be extended free medical treatment in OPDs only. For any investigation, charges are leviable.

[Authority: Ministry Of Railway’s decision No.2 deal rule 902 R-I, paras 1403(a), 2922 & 2940(vi) of Indian Railway Establishment Manual, No.64/H/7/116, 31.08.1965, No.71/H/1-1/18, 14.09.1971 and No.73/H/6-1/24, 01.10.1973]

Sub-section 10: Apprentice:-

Free medical attendance and treatment facilities will be admissible to all apprentices other than those governed by the Apprentice Act, 1961 but not to their family members, on the same scale as available to Railway employees but confined only to the extent facilities are available in Health Units and Railway hospitals. For the purpose of medical attendance and treatment facilities, they may be classified according to the categories for which they are apprentices.  For the purpose of recovery of diet charges, the stipend drawn by them should be considered as pay. No reimbursement facilities are available in non-railway institutions, T.B. institutions where beds have been reserved, for railway employees.

Note:- 

(i)    Trade Apprentices who are governed by the Apprentices Act 1961, but come otherwise within the definition of the phrase ‘Family members or dependent relatives’ of a railway employee, will be eligible for medical attendance and treatment facilities, according to the status of the railway employee under the normal rules.

(ii)    Free medical treatment may be offered to apprentices including those governed by the Apprentice Act 1961, when personal injuries are caused to them by accident arising out of and in the course of training as an apprentice.

[Authority: Ministry Of Railway’s decision (i) below Rule 902 R-I, paras 1401, 2401 & 2409 of IREM and No.MH58ME1/24 Medical, 12.01.1960 & No.E(TRJ)1/67/TRI/15, 08.02.1968]

Sub-section 11: Railway employees enrolled / commissioned in the Territorial Army:- 

A Railway employees enrolled / commissioned in the Territorial Army will be entitled to military medical services during the period of training and embodiment. The family members and dependent relatives of the employees will be governed by the railway medical attendance and treatment rules during the above period.

[Authority: Para 4 II of the IREM]

Sub-section 12: Private servants:-

A private servant of a railway employee (i.e. a person employed on whole time basis on a salary in the personal services of the railway employee), who is eligible for passes,  is also eligible for medical attendance and treatment as out-door patient and also, to the extent accommodation is available as in-door patient, at all railway hospitals and health units. In case of in-door treatment, charges at 40% of the schedule of charges laid down for outsiders may be levied for the specialized and indoor treatment and for radiological examination.

NOTE: The out-patient treatment should be confined to short routine illnesses and not diseases requiring prolonged management of cases.

[Authority: Rule 932 R-I and No.65/H/7/189, 03.02.1967 & 10.11.1967 and No.71/H/1-1/16, 29.03.1972]

Sub-section 13: Casual Labour:- 

1. Casual labour project as well as non-project, may be given medical facilities for self only in the out-patients Department. The service cards of the employees may be utilized as the identification cards for this purpose.
2. There should be no artificial break in the service of casual labours.

Note:

(i)    When they develop post-vasectomy complications and require indoor treatment, free, diet is also admissible.

(ii)    Casual labourers with more than three months service will become entitled to the same rights and privileges as admissible to regular railway employees.

[Authority: No.66/H(EP)/6/74, 11.06.1973 & No.E(NG)II/77CL-12, 03.05.1978] 

Sub-section 14: Contractors, Their Staff And Labourers:- 

Staff of contractors engaged by Railway administration is not entitled to free medical attendance and treatment facilities. They and their family members may be treated in railway hospitals and health units in places where there are no other hospitals are available provided the contractor pays the cost of diet, medicines and dressings.

[Authority: Para 1409 of IREM]

Sub-section 15: Commissioned Vendors:- 

1. Free medical facilities in OPD are available to Commissioned vendors/bearers engaged in departmental catering as outdoor patients for self only. As in-door patient it will be available when they are injured during the course of the duties.
2. The patient’s treatment should be confined to short routine illness and not disease requiring prolonged management of cases.

[Authority: No.62/H/1/70, 16.02.1963, No.61/H/70 Pt-a, 17.03.1964, No.71/H/1-1/16, 16.06.1971] 

Sub-section 16: Central Government Employees Governed By C.S.(M.A.) Rules 1944:-

Central Government employees governed by these rules subject to availability of accommodation can avail of medical attendance and treatment as admissible to outsiders in railway hospitals on payment of charges prescribed for outsiders. Preference would, however be given to these employees amongst outsiders.

[Authority: No.74/H/6-3/14, 04.08.1975] 

Sub-section 17: Families Of Railway Employees On Secondment Of Foreign Service:-

The families of railway employees on secondment abroad on Foreign Service terms left behind in India may be treated at par with the families of retired railway employees governed by the Retired Railway Employees Contributory Health Scheme.

[Authority: No.78/H/6-1/27, 21.09.1978] 

Sub-section (24): Identity Cards Necessary For Availing Of Facilities In Railway Hospitals:-

1. If a railway beneficiary does not produce a medical identity card no medical treatment should be afforded to the railway beneficiary, except emergency first-aid.
2. Licensed Porters, Commissioned vendors, etc. who are not regular railway employees may be issued identity cards with additional endorsement indicating the category to which they belong.
3. For casual labours, their service book will serve as the medical identity card.
4. In emergencies, however, a patient, even in the absence of identification papers has to be attended first, including administration of such medicines and use of such appliances as may be necessary.  With welfare inspectors, efforts should be made to establish the patient’s identity. In case of patient is found to be a  non-railway beneficiary, he should be treated as an outsider, charged accordingly or transferred to a non-railway hospital as soon as the patient’s condition stabilizes and the expenditure written off with the concurrence of the competent authority.

[Authority: No.79/H/6-1/24, 30.07.1979, No.76/H/6-1/10, 25.05.1978 and No.79/H/6-1/22, 26.07.1979]

Sub-section 18: Government Employee Transferred Temporarily Or Permanently To A Post Under The Ministry of Railways:- 

A Government employee transferred temporarily or permanently to a post under the Ministry of Railways shall be entitled to opt for medical attendance and treatment facilities in the course of the detailed rules as given in Section ‘C’ of this chapter.

[Authority: Rule 912 R-I] 

Sub-section  19: Railway Employees On Deputation In India / Abroad Posted Abroad:-

1. Railway employees on deputation in India-Railway employees sent on deputation to other Government Departments / Corporations / Undertakings may be governed by the medical attendance rules of the borrowing Departments / Corporations / Undertakings. The borrowing Departments / Corporations / Undertaking may, however, allow the Railway employee, at his option, to enjoy Railway medical facilities provided a contribution to Railway revenues is made by the borrowing Departments / Corporations / Undertaking or by the Railway employee concerned, as may be mutually agreed upon between them, at the rates of recovery prescribed from time to time for government employees of his status under the Central Government Health Scheme.

[Authority: Note under Rule 911 R-I]

2. Railway employees on deputation abroad and India-based Railway employees posted abroad:-

(i)    Railway employees working in posts outside India and /or sent abroad on deputation may be divided into the following three categories for the purpose of grant of medical facilities, viz. 

(a)   Those  who are sent on ‘short-term’ deputation abroad, i.e. when the period of continued stay abroad does not exceed six months;

(b)  Those who are sent on ‘long-term’ deputation abroad; i.e. for a period in excess of six months; and

(c)   India based Railway employees posted abroad.

(ii)    Railway employees falling under category (i)(a) above will be governed by the orders issued by the Ministry of External Affairs from time to time, whereas those falling under (i)(b) and (i)(c) above will be entitled to medical facilities as are admissible under the Assisted Medical Attendance Scheme as published by the Ministry of External Affairs and as corrected from time to time.

(iii)   Subject to the provisions the Assisted Medical Attendance Scheme, the concessions admissible there under are also applicable to wives, children and step-children residing with and wholly dependent on the employees falling under (i)(b) and (i)(c) above.

[Authority: Ministry of External Affairs Memorandum No.1(i)19/MP-55, 13.09.1955]

3. Families in India of employees posted abroad:-

(a)   Free medical attendance and treatment will also be admissible to families in India of employees posted abroad, provided medical attendance and / or treatment is in accordance with the rules and orders in force in India.

(b)   The employee concerned should arrange to collect from his family in India all the necessary certificates, bills, receipts, vouchers, etc. that are required to accompany and claim for refund under the relevant rules and orders. He should then submit his claim to his Accounts Officer through the Head of the Mission/Post in which he is serving.  The claim should be made out in the salary bill form and supported by the prescribed application form, necessary bills, vouchers and certificates as required under the rules. When the payment is authorized by the Accounts Officer, it should be made payable in India to a person duly nominated by the employee to receive payment on his behalf.  Refunds for expenditure incurred in India shall not be made in a foreign currency.  The nomination shall generally accompany the claim so that after the claim has been passed by the Accounts Officer, that officer can issue a letter of authority to the nominee to receive the payment.  The expenditure on such refunds should be debited to the Railways.

[Authority: Ministry of External Affairs Memorandum No.1(i)19/MP-55, 13.09.1955]

4. The Controlling Officer:- The ‘Controlling Officer’ in the case of medical claims of the Railway employees serving in Missions / Post abroad will be the Head of the Mission / Post concerned.

[Authority: Note below Rule 35 of Appendix-V R-I]