Bhubaneswar, Feb. 24: Keeping an eye on the election, the state cabinet today tried to appease government employees by simplifying procedures relating to the medical reimbursement. Henceforth, the chief district medical officer can refer a case for treatment.

Briefing the cabinet’s decision, chief secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra said: “We have decentralised the entire reimbursement scheme. Chief district medical officer (CDMO) can refer cases to various hospitals in and outside the state. In case of a medical college, the superintendent of the concerned medical college also can refer the case.”

Earlier, the director of medical training and education (DMET) was empowered to refer the cases to the hospitals. The patients can also be referred to the 21 private hospitals inside the state.

The medical reimbursement will be given as per the central government health scheme. Nearly 1298 diseases will come under the scheme. The state cabinet also restructured the Employees State Insurance (ESI) Medical cadre.

In yet another major decision, the state government decided to accord the status and perks equivalent of a member of the Human Rights Commission to the State Election Commissioner. The member of the Human Rights Commission at present enjoys the status of a judge of a high court.

The cabinet also restructured the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) cadre by allocating more posts for the senior class one rank. However, the OAS strength will remain pegged at 1,416. It also gave its nod to the Odisha Education Amendment Act, 2014. Henceforth, grant- in- aid benefits will be accorded to schools with student strength of 20 instead of 25 per class earlier in tribal areas and 30 instead of 40 in the non-tribal areas.

The cabinet also decided to recruit more constables in the excise intelligence and enforcement bureau. “Henceforth licenses of IMFL and other liquor shops will be renewed for a period of four months with a 20 per cent hike in charges,” Mohapatra said.