Jaipur, July 2 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday raised serious concerns over an alleged breakdown of the state’s payment system, claiming that delays in the release of dues have adversely affected employees, pensioners, patients, contractors and several other sections of society.

Gehlot has written a detailed letter marked “Urgent” to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, drawing attention to what he described as a deepening financial crisis and administrative paralysis.

He stated that the issue is not confined to any single department or scheme, but has impacted almost every section of society. He urged the Chief Minister to take immediate and effective steps to ensure timely release of payments and provide relief to affected groups.

The former Chief Minister, in his letter, said that employees, pensioners, families of accident victims, hospitals, medicine suppliers and small contractors are all struggling to receive their legitimate dues.

He described the situation as unprecedented, stating: “Such a form of financial mismanagement has never been seen before in the history of the state.”

Gehlot pointed out that payments worth crores of rupees under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) to private hospitals, diagnostic centres and medicine vendors have been pending for months.

He noted that the situation had become so severe that the State Human Rights Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of the matter, treating it as a human rights concern. Several hospitals, he added, have either threatened to reduce services under the scheme or withdraw from Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

He further stated that under such circumstances, employees and pensioners are being forced to pay out of pocket despite the promise of cashless treatment, with reimbursement delayed indefinitely.

Gehlot also highlighted delays in the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi/Ayushman Accident Insurance Scheme, under which eligible families are entitled to Rs 5 lakh in case of accidental death. He said that in hundreds of cases, despite approval, payments have not reached beneficiaries, causing severe distress to grieving families.

The letter also raised concerns over delayed payments to retired government employees. Gehlot noted that dues such as GPF, group insurance, gratuity, and leave encashment are being delayed for months after retirement, despite being earned entitlements. He further pointed out that social security pension payments have been delayed across several districts, affecting elderly citizens, widows, and differently-abled beneficiaries.

Gehlot also flagged delays in payments on bills already cleared by the treasury, affecting infrastructure projects, including roads, drinking water supply, and other public works.

He said small contractors have been forced to issue public advertisements to draw attention to their pending dues, as the situation has severely impacted livelihoods and employment.

Calling the situation a matter of serious concern, Gehlot said the payment crisis is not merely administrative negligence but a question of dignity and livelihood for lakhs of families in the state.

He urged Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to take prompt and decisive action to restore the payment system and ensure timely disbursement of dues across all departments and schemes.

–IANS

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