West Bengal government employees, pensioners and their listed dependants who are covered by the West Bengal Health Scheme and also hold Swasthya Sathi or Ayushman Bharat cards must surrender the additional cards by October 31, according to a directive issued by the Medical Cell of the state Finance Department and reported by Sangbad Pratidin – Kolkata.
The instruction applies to all government employees and pensioners covered by the West Bengal Health Scheme, including All India Services officers, as well as their registered beneficiaries. The directive states that beneficiaries enrolled in the state scheme will receive healthcare benefits only through the West Bengal Health Scheme, also known as the West Bengal Health Scheme or WBHS.
The report said the state government had found that some employees and pensioners covered by WBHS continued to possess Swasthya Sathi and Ayushman Bharat cards for themselves or their dependants. Nabanna has now directed those holding such cards to submit them immediately as part of the compliance process.
Employees must submit proof of card surrender along with a prescribed declaration to the head of their respective department. Pensioners must submit the documents at the office or designated location where their West Bengal Health Scheme forms are filed. The requirement also covers the beneficiaries listed under the employee’s or pensioner’s healthcare arrangements.
The directive sets October 31 as the deadline for completing the process. Employees and pensioners who fail to comply within the specified period face different consequences under the reported instructions. Medical benefits under the West Bengal Health Scheme may be suspended temporarily, while government employees may also face disciplinary action.
The order places the responsibility on departments and pension-related offices to collect the surrender proof and declarations. It also creates a formal record of which scheme an eligible employee, pensioner or dependant is using for medical coverage. The report did not provide details on the number of people affected or the number of cards expected to be surrendered.
West Bengal’s directive concerns the overlap between multiple publicly funded healthcare arrangements. Swasthya Sathi is the state’s health protection scheme, while Ayushman Bharat is a central government programme. The reported order specifically addresses people who already fall within the WBHS system and directs them to use that scheme rather than retain the other cards.
The immediate issue for affected beneficiaries is therefore administrative compliance: identifying all Swasthya Sathi and Ayushman Bharat cards held by covered family members, surrendering them, obtaining proof and filing the declaration before the deadline. The state’s stated next step is temporary suspension of WBHS medical benefits for those who do not complete the process by October 31, along with disciplinary action in the case of employees.
