Denial of Healthcare to Pensioners at Puri: A Serious Administrative Failure
By Lokanath Mishra
A Growing Crisis Ignored
Healthcare is not a privilege for retired employees and senior citizens; it is a fundamental necessity and a moral obligation of the welfare state. Yet, thousands of Central Government pensioners and employees residing in and visiting Puri continue to suffer silently due to the absence of a CGHS Wellness Centre in one of India’s most prominent pilgrimage cities.
The issue once again came into focus during the 35th Meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) held on 10 March 2026 under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. The Minutes of the meeting, circulated vide Ministry Circular No. F. No.42/11/2023-P&PW(DVE-9312) dated 04 May 2026, recorded the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s position that “there is no proposal under consideration for opening a CGHS Wellness Centre at Puri, Odisha.”
This response has deeply disappointed pensioners, employees, and senior citizens who have been consistently demanding establishment of a CGHS Wellness Centre at Puri for several years.
The Government’s Position and the Ground Reality
The Ministry has argued that revised empanelment norms issued vide Office Memorandum dated 22 December 2025 now permit empanelment of hospitals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where CGHS facilities are unavailable. It was further stated that CGHS beneficiaries may avail treatment in Government hospitals, AIIMS, Institutions of National Importance, Government Medical Colleges, District Hospitals, and empanelled private hospitals without referral.
On paper, this arrangement may appear sufficient. In reality, however, the situation in Puri presents an entirely different picture.
Administrative files may show “accessibility,” but elderly pensioners standing in overcrowded hospital queues experience only neglect and hardship.
Why Puri Needs a CGHS Wellness Centre
Puri is not an ordinary town. It is one of the four sacred Dhams of India and an internationally known pilgrimage destination visited throughout the year by lakhs of devotees, tourists, and retired citizens.
A significant number of Central Government pensioners have settled in and around Puri after retirement for spiritual and peaceful living. Besides permanent residents, thousands of pensioners regularly visit the city every month.
According to available estimates:
- Nearly 1,500 Central Government employees, pensioners, and their family members reside permanently in and around Puri.
- Approximately 10,000 CGHS beneficiaries visit Puri every month for pilgrimage, tourism, retirement stay, and religious activities.
Despite this large concentration of beneficiaries, there is not even a single CGHS Wellness Centre functioning in the town.
This omission is difficult to justify.
The Healthcare Infrastructure of Puri is Grossly Inadequate
The Ministry’s assumption that beneficiaries can conveniently avail healthcare elsewhere ignores the harsh reality of local medical infrastructure.
Puri presently has only one major Government hospital, which has recently been upgraded into a medical college. However, the institution remains heavily overcrowded and struggles with enormous patient pressure, shortage of specialists, inadequate infrastructure, and limited resources.
Senior citizens often wait for hours merely to consult doctors or obtain basic diagnostic services.
The town lacks another full-fledged Government allopathic hospital capable of supporting the increasing healthcare needs of residents and visitors.
Private nursing homes in Puri are generally small and limited in capacity. Most cannot provide comprehensive treatment facilities expected under CGHS standards. Emergency care, advanced diagnostics, specialist treatment, and geriatric support remain inadequate.
Under such circumstances, merely allowing private hospitals to seek empanelment cannot substitute the need for a proper CGHS Wellness Centre.
Why Empanelment Alone Cannot Solve the Problem
The Government’s reliance on revised empanelment norms overlooks several practical issues.
A CGHS Wellness Centre is not merely a referral office. It serves as the primary healthcare lifeline for pensioners by providing:
- Regular consultation,
- Supply of medicines,
- Preventive healthcare,
- Specialist referrals,
- Medical records management,
- Reimbursement support,
- Monitoring of chronic diseases,
- Emergency coordination.
Without a local CGHS administrative and medical mechanism, elderly beneficiaries are forced to travel repeatedly to distant cities or struggle through complex procedures without institutional assistance.
For many pensioners suffering from diabetes, cardiac ailments, arthritis, hypertension, renal diseases, and age-related complications, such hardships become physically exhausting and financially burdensome.
A Matter of Dignity and Social Justice
The issue is no longer confined to administrative convenience. It concerns the dignity and welfare of retired public servants who dedicated the best years of their lives to the service of the nation.
A welfare government cannot ignore the healthcare security of its pensioners merely on technical grounds.
It is deeply unfortunate that several smaller cities across India have been granted CGHS facilities while Puri — a globally recognised spiritual city with a large pensioner population — continues to remain neglected.
The absence of a CGHS Wellness Centre in Puri represents not merely policy delay but a serious gap in public welfare planning.
Growing Resentment Among Pensioners
The continuing indifference of the authorities has naturally generated resentment among pensioners and employees.
The Central Government Pensioners Association, Puri, under the leadership of Shri Lokanath Mishra, Chief Adviser, has already announced a One-Day Mass Fasting Programme on 06 June 2026 if the Government fails to initiate positive action within the stipulated period.
This proposed democratic protest reflects the growing frustration of senior citizens who feel unheard despite repeated representations.
Pensioners are not seeking luxury. They are demanding only accessible and humane healthcare support during the most vulnerable phase of life.
The Need for Immediate Action
The Government of India must urgently reconsider the matter with seriousness and compassion.
A ground-level assessment should immediately be conducted regarding:
- Actual number of beneficiaries,
- Medical infrastructure available in Puri,
- Healthcare burden during pilgrimage seasons,
- Difficulties faced by elderly pensioners,
- Feasibility of establishing a full-fledged CGHS Wellness Centre.
The establishment of a CGHS Wellness Centre at Puri is not an unreasonable demand. It is an administrative necessity, a humanitarian obligation, and a long-overdue measure of justice for pensioners.
The voice of retired employees cannot be ignored indefinitely.
A responsive government must listen before discontent transforms into a larger movement.
