8th Pay Commission: Central government employees and pensioners are eagerly waiting for the formation of the 8th Pay Commission.
There were earlier reports suggesting that the government might announce it in the first week of April, marking the start of the new financial year.
However, there has been no official update from the government yet.
Some reports are now suggesting that the 8th Pay Commission might recommend the abolition of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
Will CGHS Be Replaced by a New Health Scheme?
CGHS is a medical facility that offers treatment, medicines, and doctor’s advice to central government employees, their families, and pensioners at a low cost.
Recently, there are reports that the government might scrap CGHS and introduce a new health scheme.
These changes could be part of the 8th Pay Commission’s recommendations.
Discussions on Removing CGHS Are Not New
This isn’t the first time that CGHS removal has been discussed. Previous Pay Commissions, including the 5th, 6th, and 7th, also suggested replacing CGHS with a different scheme.
This is because CGHS lacks nationwide coverage, and many people face difficulties in accessing it.
As a result, many government employees and their families do not fully benefit from this service.
Talks of a New Scheme in January
In January of this year, a report by Financial Express mentioned that the Health Ministry was considering introducing an insurance scheme to replace CGHS, specifically for government employees.
However, this is still under discussion, and no final decision has been made yet.
Focus Now Shifts to the Terms of Reference
At this point, everyone is waiting for the government to approve the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Pay Commission.
Once the Cabinet approves the ToR, an official notification will be issued, and the commission will begin its work. Official updates on the recommendations will follow after that.
