Government Officials Reluctant to Link Aadhaar; Old Health Cards Remain Active Without It

Several attempts have been made to link Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cards with Aadhaar, but the orders had to be withdrawn. Many old CGHS cards continue to operate without being linked to Aadhaar.

While the general public requires Aadhaar to avail benefits from government schemes, this rule does not appear to fully apply to the health cards held by government employees. Many old CGHS cards—part of the government health facility for central employees—remain active without Aadhaar linkage. Reports indicate that the government has attempted to link them to Aadhaar multiple times, but the initiative was halted on each occasion rather than moving forward.

In the country, Aadhaar-based identification is required for over 3,100 Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes and approximately 360 government services. A significant portion of these schemes is intended for the general public and the needy. In contrast, the system to link central employees' CGHS cards with Aadhaar has not become fully mandatory, despite repeated attempts to implement it.

Orders Issued and Subsequently Withdrawn

Since June 2015, the government has issued multiple office memoranda to link CGHS with Aadhaar. However, these orders had to be withdrawn following internal deliberations. A similar situation occurred in July 2024, when a directive was issued to link the beneficiary's ID with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA)—which is created using Aadhaar. This move was later put on hold until further notice.

Officials argue that CGHS is not a standard welfare scheme but a health system funded partly by employee contributions. However, records show that approximately 90% of the total CGHS expenditure is borne by the Government of India's exchequer, with employee contributions being significantly lower.

Questions Raised Regarding Verification of Old Cards

Under the CGHS, there is no annual verification of the identity of pensioners and their dependent family members. Many pensioner cards issued during the initial phase of computerization—specifically around 2005—remain active. This situation could make it difficult to remove the names of deceased or ineligible individuals and increases the risk of fraudulent use.

Aadhaar linking has already been made mandatory for other government health schemes, such as the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and the Railway Health Scheme. The per-person expenditure under CGHS is higher compared to these schemes; a proper review of old and ineligible accounts could potentially impact this cost differential.

Who is covered under CGHS?

CGHS benefits are availed by serving and retired central government employees and their families, sitting and former Members of Parliament (MPs), sitting and retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and accredited journalists based in Delhi.