Ratia, June 17 – A delegation from the Democratic School Teachers Association (Haryana)—affiliated with the Sanyukt Karamchari Morcha and the All India Forum for the Right to Education—met Health Minister Aarti Rao at the Haryana Civil Secretariat. Led by State Chairman Dharmendra Dhanda, the delegation submitted a memorandum outlining various health-related demands concerning teachers and employees.
The delegation apprised the Health Minister of the notification issued by the Haryana Health Department on June 7, 2024, which provided for cashless medical facilities for state employees. Although a large number of employees have obtained Ayushman cards under this scheme, the system has not yet been fully implemented. The association demanded the immediate implementation of the said notification to ensure employees can avail themselves of cashless treatment facilities.
The representatives also demanded an increase in the income limit set for the reimbursement of medical bills for employees' dependents. They argued that the current income limit is extremely low and should be raised to at least ?2.40 lakh per annum. They noted that positive steps had already been taken at the government level regarding this matter, with the relevant file having been transferred from the Finance Department to the Family Welfare Department on March 12, 2026; therefore, an early decision should be reached.
The association further demanded that old-age pension—which is a form of honorarium-based financial assistance—not be counted as income. According to the representatives, the classification of old-age pension as income in the *Parivar Pehchan Patra* (PPP) is leading to unnecessary objections being raised against the medical bills of many employees, causing them significant hardship.
Additionally, the delegation demanded that teachers in Haryana be granted medical leave facilities similar to those provided to other employees, following the model adopted in Punjab.
Health Minister Aarti Rao listened to the delegation's demands seriously, adopted a positive stance, and assured them that the issues raised would be given due consideration soon. Sunil Goyal (State Auditor of the organization), Rajesh Sharma (from Panchkula), Ravinder Kundu (from Faridabad), and other office-bearers and members of the Democratic School Teachers Association were also present on this occasion.