MCD health card applications for regular employees of the Delhi Municipal Corporation will now be processed online, with mandatory verification of dependent family members before digital cards are issued. The new system will use a four-level scrutiny and approval process, according to an order issued by the civic body’s Hospital Administration Department and reported by Jagran – New Delhi.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will provide an application link through its website, mcdonline.nic.in/portal. Under the revised process, an establishment clerk or billing clerk in the employee’s department will first examine the application and uploaded documents.
The application will then move to the Drawing and Disbursing Officer, who will match the documents and verify the employee’s dependants. In the third stage, the relevant Chief Administrative Medical Officer or Deputy Director, Hospital Administration, will scrutinise and approve the application. After these checks, the headquarters will issue the digital health card.
Employees will be required to submit their appointment letter, joining order, identity card, Aadhaar card, salary slip and a recent photograph. For every dependent, the application must include an Aadhaar card, photograph and proof of residence with the employee. Dependants aged above 18 will also require proof of income. The accepted documents include a PAN card, income-tax return, Form 26AS or an income certificate issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office.
For dependent children who are studying, the corporation will accept a certificate from the school or college or a fee receipt. The rules also specify eligibility conditions. A spouse will remain exempt from the income limit. A son will be eligible until the age of 25 or marriage, whichever occurs earlier, while a daughter can remain covered until marriage.
Other dependants must have a monthly income below Rs 9,000 plus the dearness relief payable on a basic pension of Rs 9,000. They must also be fully dependent on the employee and ordinarily reside with the employee. The corporation has said that treatment expenses incurred for an ineligible dependent may be recovered from the employee along with interest.
Each processing level has been assigned a deadline of seven working days once complete documents are received. If an application is returned or rejected, the reason must be recorded on the portal. Employees will be able to file a complaint with the nodal officer within 30 days of the decision.
The MCD has also made annual declarations part of the system. Employees must submit a fresh declaration regarding their dependants by April 30 every year. Any death, marriage, employment or change in income that makes a dependent ineligible must be reported to the department within 30 days.
The digital card system follows the MCD’s employee health scheme, which was announced on the lines of the Central Government Health Scheme. Under the arrangement, employees can seek treatment at hospitals empanelled by the corporation. The earlier referral-based process is being replaced by treatment access linked to the health card.
