CGHS Card Must Be Issued To All Employees Without Delay: CPWD

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has issued a directive beginning this month, directing all the special and additional director generals (SDGs/ADGs) to issue CGHS cards to all employees without delay.

According to the office memorandum dated April 7, 2025, by the CPWD, “All SDGs/ADGs are requested to ensure that all the employees of CPWD who are contributing towards the CGHS are issued with CGHS card. In the case where the Govt. servant in spite of written intimation/Memorandum does not apply for a CGHS card, such cases may be immediately reported to Senior Officers for taking suitable action”.

The OM referred to the office memorandum No. S-6252/2003-2004-R&H/CGHS/CGHS(P) dated June 15, 2004, of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) to implement the CGHS card issuance.

What Are The Rules Established In 2004 For CGHS Card Issuance?

• According to the rules, the CGHS facility is mandatory for all central government employees

• They don’t need to fill out any form or do other formalities to start this facility

• The CGHS benefits accrue from the date an employee applies for a CGHS card

• When an employee joins the office and informs his/her official address that has a CGHS dispensary, the monthly deduction from salary towards CGHS starts

• There is no requirement to fill up a form or apply to the administrative branch to get a CGHS card

• However, cases were reported earlier to the Ministry of Health where employees contributed to the CGHS but have not applied for the CGHS card

• The ministry took note and concluded that the contributions are deducted without seeking any approval from the employees and, thus the benefit should not be denied to employees just because they have not applied for the Card

• The ministry made the concerned office or department responsible for card issuance. It made the rule that if the office or department is regularly deducting CGHS contributions from an employee’s salary, they should ensure that a CGHS card is issued to such employees without them asking for it 

The OM also clarified that if a government employee does not apply for a CGHS card despite being reminded through written communication or memorandum, such cases should be escalated to the senior officers immediately for suitable action. The aim is to ensure that no employee is left without access to healthcare services. 

The latest OM by the CPWD is a routine update to reinforce the rules.