Patna, Feb. 8: Hundreds of retired state government employees, including former IAS officers, staged a demon-stration at JP roundabout today seeking higher medical allowance.

Under the banner of Bihar Pensioner Samaj, the demonstrators shouted slogans against the government, accusing it of neglecting them for over 15 years. The agitators included former chief secretary and retired IAS officer (1966 batch) V.S. Dubey, Ishwar Chandra Kumar (IAS, 1961 batch) and retired chief engineer (irrigation department).

“For 15 years, we have been seeking a monthly medical allowance of Rs 1,500. This is the amount that the Centre gives to its employees. Though this is a small amount, we want the allowance so that we can sustain our medical expenditure,” Dubey told The Telegraph.

At present, a retired government official gets Rs 100 a month as medical allowance.

“The state government keeps pledging to look into our demand, but nothing happens. The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is not an ideal system. For day-to-day requirements, we have to visit medicine shops. The shops often say the prescribed medicines are not available with them and give us substitute drugs. Besides, we have to seek permission from authorities concerned before being examined at designated hospitals,” Dubey said.

Bihar Pensioner Samaj president Ishwar Chandra Kumar said, “The amount that the pensioners get at present is not enough to even buy medicines of common cold. If states like Rajasthan give medical allowance of Rs 1,500 to their employees, why cannot it happen in Bihar?”

He added: “ A retired government employee should be allowed to get himself/herself examined in any government hospital free of cost. Besides, they should be allowed to seek admission to any government hospital and the state should foot the bills for treatment.”

Bihar Pensioner Samaj secretary general Ravishankar Sinha said Patna High Court and the Supreme Court had directed the state government to pay medical allowance to its employees. He added: “Despite this, the government has not done anything. Hundreds of retired employees suffer because of unavailability of medical allowance.”

Ravishankar claimed the state cabinet had in 2009 passed a proposal to give medical allowance to retired employees. He said: “This might be the first instance of a state not implementing a cabinet decision. We have requested the government several times to provide us with medical allowance. Now we have no option but to launch an agitation.”

Principal secretary (finance) Rameshwar Singh told The Telegraph that a proposal to give medical allowance to retired government employees had been sent to the cabinet. “The cabinet has, however, not held any meeting in this connection so far. The health department has, on its part, prepared a draft for giving free medical treatment to the pensioners. According to the draft policy, the expenditure will be reimbursed on the submission of bills. The draft is yet to be sent to the cabinet. It will take some time, though,” he added.