ECHS Do not Press the Panic Button

I submit the following to all my Armed Forces Veteran Brothers.
Why are we in a panic situation?
Why are we disheartened?
Why are we crying for help?
For any medical problem correct diagnosis is most important. Gentlemen, in ECHS we have made a wrong diagnosis of its illness and therefore a wrong treatment is being administered. I strongly believe that the entire fiasco and confusion we have seen last week in Tamil Nadu and many other problems for which we crib are also due to the clinical reaction of the same wrong treatment. It is pathetic a situation that we have to run from every pillar to post for help! Continue to do it!!

There is no doubt that concept of ECHS is wonderful, but it should be our endeavor to make it wonderful not only to the lucky few, but to every Armed Forces Veteran in this country irrespective of whether he is a retd Officer/ Jawan or whether he is staying in a metro/ town/ village. Facilitating equal opportunities to all veterans and thereby ensuring social justice amongst our brother veterans shall be our meditating "Mantra". It is very unfortunate that we still have to struggle (perhaps we have to continue to struggle for ever) to overcome our genuine grievances. We appear to be happy and contented with LOCAL AD HOC solutions. Please decide whether we would still like to depend on others mercy for getting our rightful dues.

ECHS has improved a lot during the last 2 years, thanks to the Local Administrators of the Scheme. But still long way to go. How do we find a permanent solution to this? Please think and act. If we can't act, let us enjoy the honor of passing on the batten to the next generation of Veterans who are presently the controllers and hopefully they will pass it on to successive generations. It is a food for thought for all office bearers of our Organizations and member Veterans too. We all know that prevention is better than cure not only for any medical problem but for all problems. The Scheme has to be reorganized in such a way that the recent break down that happened in Tamil Nadu shouldn't repeat anywhere else in the country. Have we learned any lessons from this incident? What does this indicate? Please think– had we lacked the foresight and vision, had we lacked the capacity for co ordination and financial auditing, had we lacked the management expertise, I am confused, what about you? Sequence of events to avoid duplication of efforts by individuals and Organizations and wastage of time for re- inventing the wheel. Please note the following sequence of events that has already happened this side regarding ECHS.

Few practical suggestions for improvement were submitted to local authorities in Jun 05. (Some time I am also like most of you - interested only in solving personal problems and some times –yap- local problems). Based on the input received from various Veterans Organizations all over the country, a year long study was under taken during 2005-06. Formal representations were forwarded to IHQ in Jul 05 and it was further formally discussed in Aug 05 in a National Forum. Preliminary study report was forwarded on 12 Jun 06 to IHQ and all others concerned. Subsequently about a dozen meetings were held with the Heads of various concerned Formations at Command and IHQ level during the period 2005 Sep to 2006 Dec. On completion of the study, the "Government Policy in the present form" was identified as the main reason for most of the ongoing problems of the Scheme. The same reason is equally applicable for its survivability in the long run when the Scheme have its full clientele strength.

In consideration of this, a new proposal called "Liberalized ECHS" was prepared and circulated to few key Veterans and Veterans Organizations across the Country. Few interactive sessions and explanatory meetings were also held with few ESM organizations. This proposal was formally submitted to the top decision making authority in the country on 12 Jan 07 for consideration. Since then direct protracted correspondence has been in progress for the last one year. Unfortunately the top decision making authority was misguided by our authorities concerned on the key recommendations in the proposal. This is a mater of serious concern and this issue has also been taken up. Let us see the result. (Liberalized ECHS is a dream scheme for all Veterans in this country! It is a highly advantageous scheme for the Government also since it can make a saving of thousands of crores of rupees to the exchequer). Considering the delay for implementation of Liberalized ECHS/ any other better Scheme, another proposal on appointment of an "ECHS Commission" was submitted in Jun 07 to IHQ and subsequently to the highest authority. The Commission can study the present scheme, consider all proposals received so far by Govt for improvement of the ongoing scheme and make it patient friendly and access/ user friendly. We should also appreciate that the Scheme must be practical, pragmatic and financially viable to the Government also for its survival in the long run. The Commission's recommendations would now be required on a war-footing in the best interest of the VETERANS since the stabilization time given to the ongoing scheme is up to 31 Mar 2008. To my knowledge this proposal is also hanging in the air. Hope to discuss this issue further at Chennai next week at a National Forum.

Conclusion
It appears that many had been intervening these days on individual basis to inject more life and vigor into the Scheme and also to stream line it. THINK, why all these proposals and suggestions are viewed by every authority in a step motherly fashion! May be that these are submitted by individuals/ Organizations which represent only a minuscule of the Veterans population. Though we all belong to different Armed Forces Veterans Organizations, there is one common factor in us, ie the low percentage of Veterans in any individual Organisation. This is an open secret known to every one in the echelon of power. It appears that until and unless we jointly show and prove that we are "a force to reckon with", this sort of discrimination will be forced upon us from every quarter irrespective of how sound and logical we are. I am mentally preparing to enjoy this situation, what about YOU? The first priority in ECHS is the formation of an ECHS Commission by the Government. This can pave the way for the acceptance of a better ECHS . How do we proceed now ? Do we have any Organization to champion the cause of ECHS ? Even if one individual or Organization volunteer to take the lead, will it be acceptable to other esteemed Organizations and its members!!! OR are we destined to remain separately like this and swallow our sufferings forever on all issues that are common to all of us? AS AN AD HOC solution, can all Veterans Organizations in Delhi jointly take up this issue with the Government, if needed show their solidarity and strength by organizing a protest rally in Gandhian way. Think seriously whether we have to get a "Political decision" in our favor to overcome the hurdles put in by those with "vested interest". THE NEED OF THE HOUR IS THE FORMATION OF A NATIONAL FEDERATION OF ALL VETERANS ORGANISATIONS. Do we still have any doubt? Will too many cooks spoil the broth? I am confused, what about you? Pardon my ignorance!

G Kuruvilla, VSM
R Adm (Retd)