Centre doubles hospital care allowance for staff

In good news for about two lakh central government employees, the union cabinet on Thursday approved doubling of existing rates of hospital patient care allowance.Besides, it has decided to revise the existing rate of risk allowance given to central government employees engaged in hazardous duties across the country.‘The cabinet on Thursday approved revision of rates of risk allowance. hospital patient care allowance and patient care allowance payable to about two lakh entitled central government employees are to double from existing rates with effect from 1 September 2008,’ an official statement said.The decision will result in considerable financial savings as compared to the Risk Insurance Schemes or Packages, the statement said.The financial implication of doubling the rate of Risk Allowance, Hospital Patient Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance would be Rs 42.16 crore per annum, as against Rs 503.26 crore plus service tax  [approximately] for implementing the risk insurance package.