Girdhari Lal Raina Raises Concern Over Difficulties Faced by Pensioners in CGHS Registration Due to Deficiencies in PPO Books

Jammu, June 8, 2026: Former Member of the Legislative Council and BJP J&K-UT Spokesperson, Girdhari Lal Raina, has urged the Accountant General, Jammu & Kashmir, to take immediate steps to address the difficulties being faced by senior citizens and retired government employees in registering under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
In a communication addressed to the Accountant General, Raina highlighted that a large number of Pension Payment Order (PPO) books either do not contain the Pay Matrix Level under the 7th Central Pay Commission or carry entries that are illegible. This has emerged as a serious obstacle for pensioners seeking registration under CGHS, which has recently been extended to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

The Pay Matrix Level is a mandatory requirement for CGHS registration as it determines the subscription amount payable by the pensioner as well as the category of medical facilities and ward entitlement available under the scheme. Owing to the absence or unreadability of this crucial information in PPO books, many applications submitted by pensioners are reportedly being rejected, forcing them to approach the office of the Accountant General for authentication and certification.
Expressing concern over the hardships being faced by pensioners, particularly senior citizens, women pensioners, and those residing in remote and rural areas, Raina stated that they are being compelled to undertake repeated visits to government offices merely to obtain information that should have been clearly recorded in their pension documents in the first place.
He emphasized that the extension of CGHS to Jammu & Kashmir is a welcome and long-awaited welfare measure for retired employees. However, procedural deficiencies should not be allowed to deprive eligible beneficiaries of timely access to healthcare facilities under the scheme. The objective of extending CGHS can only be fully realized when pensioners are able to complete the registration process without unnecessary hurdles.
Raina has requested the Accountant General to establish a dedicated facilitation window or special help desk to process such cases expeditiously and provide authenticated Pay Matrix Level details to affected pensioners. He has also urged the authorities to issue appropriate instructions to ensure that all future PPO books contain correct, complete, and legible entries regarding the Pay Matrix Level so that similar problems do not arise in future.
He expressed confidence that the Accountant General’s office would take a sympathetic and proactive view of the issue and initiate corrective measures in the larger public interest. Such intervention, he said, would bring considerable relief to thousands of pensioners across Jammu & Kashmir and facilitate their smooth enrolment under CGHS.
Raina reiterated that the welfare and dignity of senior citizens and retired employees must remain a priority and that administrative procedures should be citizen-friendly, particularly when they concern access to healthcare and social security benefits.