Caring for cops
PUNJAB: The Punjab Armed Police (PAP) has recently entered into a formal arrangement with hospitals across the state to provide discounted health facilities to its personnel and their families.
Under this initiative, patients receive treatment at multi-specialty hospitals at much lower rates, while the government saves money on medical reimbursement claims, and hospitals benefit from a steady flow of dedicated patients. In addition, the wards of police personnel are now being offered discounted civil services coaching – with special concessions for children of martyrs.
Both these schemes are the brainchildren of MF Farooqui, a 1995 batch IPS officer currently serving as the Additional DGP of PAP. The Satkar Scheme, launched on September 23, 2022, was designed to provide subsidised treatment for PAP personnel and has since been replicated in various districts.
Under this scheme, police personnel and their dependents can access all facilities, including diagnostics, at Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) rates, which are nearly 50 percent lower than normal fees. To date, 359 hospitals across the state have been empanelled, ensuring widespread access to affordable healthcare.
This scheme was first introduced at a local level in 2000 when Farooqui was posted as SP (City) in Jalandhar. However, after his transfer, the initiative met a dead end. When Farooqui was reappointed as Additional DGP in PAP in 2022, he revived the scheme. So far, 52,817 smart cards have been issued to personnel, allowing them to visit any empanelled hospital, show their card, and receive treatment immediately with respect and dignity.
Explaining the scheme, Farooqui said, “The class-IV employees of the police force and the home guards, who are not covered under the state government’s medical insurance, often have to take loans from private financers at very high interest rates when they need treatment. I recall a cook’s son falling ill, and the loan taken at 10 percent interest later became a burden for him.” He added that many personnel used to request him to informally ask hospitals for discounts on their hefty bills, which eventually inspired the formal system.
In 2022, an MOU was signed with several multi-specialty hospitals in Jalandhar – initially six – to provide all facilities at CGHS rates to police officials and their dependents. This facility is available to all police officials, including Special Police Officers, Punjab Home Guards, and Class-IV personnel, with the main beneficiaries being the class-IV personnel and constables.