SEFI demands free mediclaim and ENM for retired personnel

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, May 15: SEFI is regularly discussing the welfare issues related to retired employees with SAIL management and is trying to provide them better facilities.
In this sequel, considering the improving economic condition of SAIL, SEFI is raising demands of introducing welfare schemes for the retired employees along with the demand of pay revision and other facilities for working employees.
SEFI has tried to attract attention of SAIL towards the retired employees those who have made great contributions for the company but are facing financial problems during the post retirement life.
SEFI has raised two important demands for the retired workers. SEFI Chairman Narendra Kumar Banchhor informed that they have demanded from SAIL to increase the SAIL Mediclaim coverage for Ex-Employees and free Mediclaim facility for the Ex-employees who attained the age of 75 year.
He informed that SAIL has floated a Mediclaim policy for retired employees and their spouses, the policy are being renewed every year in the month of July. In recent past there has been lot of problems to our Ex-Employees due to insufficient coverage amount in SAIL-Mediclaim.
During the second wave most of the SAIL hospitals were fully occupied and many of our retired employees were forced to take admission in private hospitals. In this period it was experienced the coverage amount was exhausted within few days and individuals have to bear heavy financial burden of medical bill.
Considering the present cost of medical services in India the sum assured offered by SAIL Mediclaim is insufficient to cater the requirement of our retired employees. Hence SEFI requested teh SAIL Chairman to kindly increase the Mediclaim coverage amount to Rs 10 Lakhs as discussed in last SAIL-SEFI meeting. SEFI also requested to provide Free SAIL Mediclaim policy to our retired employees who attained the age of 75 year.
The second demand was the introduction of the Emergency Need Mitigation (ENM) Scheme for these veteran retired personnel. Banchhor said that the company crossed the tough times and now the financial condition of the company has improved.
SEFI stated to SAIL Chairman that this is the time to acknowledge the contribution made by our senior retired employees in building the organization and facilitate them with emergency needs mitigation scheme.
ENM scheme shall be applicable for employees who retired from the company prior to January 1, 2007. The scheme shall cover the entire retired employee, at board level and below board level and those who are not covered under the SAIL Pension scheme.
SEFI requested to provide a financial support in ENM scheme per beneficiary per annum in line with other Maharatna PSUs.
In ENM scheme the categories shall be made based on age and variable financial support shall be provided. This decision will go a long way in showing the concern of company towards the superannuated employees.
SEFI President Narendra Kumar Banchhor said that veteran retired personnel are old members of the SAIL family and SAIL management should also take care of them. He hoped that the SAIL management would take a humane initiative in this regard and take a fair
decision.