Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) for Employees and Pensioners
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2263
TO BE ANSWERED ON 01ST AUGUST, 2025
BUDGETARY EXPENDITURE UNDER CGHS SCHEME
2263. SHRI ASHOK KUMAR YADAV:
Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether a substantial amount of budgetary expenditure is incurred by the Government under the CGHS scheme every year;
(b) if so, the annual expenditure incurred on CGHS and the number of beneficiaries thereof during the last five years (2019-20 to 2023-24), year-wise;
(c) whether the Government considers that CGHS is functioning at an expected level as a healthcare service provider at present, if so, the details thereof;
(d) the present structure for the distribution of generic and branded drugs through CGHS dispensaries;
(e) the reasons behind the complaints received from beneficiaries regarding non-availability of drugs regularly;
(f) whether any proposals to improve the CGHS system or to explore alternatives (such as Direct Benefit Transfer, Integrated Health Insurance Model or Digital Prescription Network) are under consideration by the Government; and
(g) if so, the salient features of these proposals along with their current status thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (g): Central Government Health Scheme is a subscription based Medical Scheme for the Central Government employees and pensioners. The scheme also provides healthcare facilities to Hon’ble Members of Parliament, former Members of Parliament, sitting and retired Judges of Supreme Court of India, former Judges of High Courts, Freedom fighters etc. The CGHS is functioning satisfactorily and is continuously being strengthened to provide comprehensive healthcare to eligible beneficiaries. The Government has undertaken several initiatives to improve the efficiency and reach of CGHS. These include:
- (i) Expansion of CGHS Wellness Centres to more cities across the country.
- (ii) Empanelment of private hospitals and diagnostic centres to increase access to specialized care.
- (iii) Implementation of digitization initiatives such as online appointment booking, tele-consultation services.
- (iv) Introduction of telemedicine services through digital platforms like e-sanjeevani, enabling remote access to healthcare.
CGHS is funded through Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The details of annual expenditure incurred under CGHS and the number of beneficiaries during the last five years are as follows:
| Financial year | Actual Expenditure ( in crores) | No. of Beneficiaries |
| 2019-20 | 3966.19 | 33,57,675 |
| 2020-21 | 4236.86 | 36,11,596 |
| 2021-22 | 4368.02 | 38,45,168 |
| 2022-23 | 6419.89 | 41,61,524 |
| 2023-24 | 6109.82 | 44,50,343 |
The Government has prescribed time-bound procedures for the procurement and distribution of medicines through CGHS Wellness Centres. The details are as follows:
(i) Routine Medicines: CGHS Wellness Centres procure routine medicines from MSO/GMSD via CGHS MSDs. Jan Aushadhi medicines are separately sourced under PMJAYK based on monthly demand sent by Wellness Centres to the respective AD zone.
(ii) Delhi-NCR Schedule: In Delhi-NCR, MSO drugs are supplied to Wellness Centres every 35 days as per a fixed schedule shared with AD zones and centres.
(iii) Restricted Medicines: Procured on specialist prescription, these are supplied directly by MSD Delhi for Delhi beneficiaries and through nodal centres for NCR.
(iv) Supply Timelines for Restricted Medicines: Such medicines are usually delivered next working day in Delhi and within 3–4 working days in NCR, though delays may occur due to supply chain issues.
(v) Available medicines are dispensed the same day, while unavailable specialist-prescribed medicines are indented through Authorized Local Chemists, who must supply them within 48 hours, failing which a penalty is imposed as per Memorandum of agreement.
The Ministry has undertaken the task of leveraging the use of Information Technology to improve the service delivery. The website features include; availability of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) for beneficiaries, Medicine tracking feature, integration with payment gateway for online payment of CGHS Contribution for Pensioners. Additionally, the new mobile application, MyCGHS 2.0, offers the same user-friendly functionalities such as real time Que Status on visit at CGHS Wellness Centre, medicine tracking, online appointment scheduling, and online card generation as a soft copy following due process.
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