Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Transport corporations restrained from altering medical scheme

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted an interim injunction for four weeks, restraining seven State Transport Corporations from altering the special medical assistance scheme for their employees and implementing the new health insurance scheme of the State Government.

Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar granted the injunction on a writ petition filed by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation, represented by its general secretary A.P. Anbazhagan.

The federation submitted that the demand of transport corporation employees for a special medical assistance scheme providing free advanced and special treatment/surgeries for major ailments was conceded by the corporations in a September 1995 settlement under section 12 (3) of the Industrial Disputes Act. Under it, every workman should contribute Rs. 5 every month to the scheme. The corporations should contribute an equal sum.

But, under the new scheme, every government employee should compulsorily contribute Rs.25 every month to avail himself of the benefit. The maximum limit for financial assistance had been raised to Rs. 2 lakh from Rs. 1 lakh for a block period of four years. Parents of workmen were not entitled to the benefit, if an employee was married.

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