Hyderabad: Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao on Monday announced that the Employees Health Scheme would be implemented through a dedicated Employee Health Care Trust, which will be constituted within the next couple of days.

\The operational guidelines for the formation and functioning of the Trust will be formulated after incorporating suggestions and recommendations made by representatives of various employees' associations. The Chief Secretary made these remarks while chairing a crucial meeting with members of the Joint Staff Council and representatives of various employees' associations at the Secretariat on Monday.

The high-level meeting focused on the modalities for strengthening and streamlining healthcare services for government employees, pensioners, and their dependent family members. Addressing the representatives, Ramakrishna Rao said that the State government was firmly committed to ensuring accessible, quality, and hassle-free healthcare services for serving employees, pensioners, and their dependent family members across Telangana. He emphasized that the proposed Trust would serve as a robust institutional mechanism to deliver healthcare benefits efficiently and transparently.

The Chief Secretary clarified that a separate bank account would be opened exclusively for the Trust and that it would be operated with equal financial contributions from both the Government and employees. He further informed that the Trust would function with full autonomy and be empowered to take decisions independently in the best interests of beneficiaries.

Ramakrishna Rao assured the representatives that the Government values the welfare of its employees and pensioners. Representatives of various employees' associations welcomed the initiative and offered constructive suggestions regarding the governance structure, financial management, service delivery, and grievance redressal systems.