Jaipur, July 2: Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed serious concerns regarding alleged irregularities in Rajasthan’s payment system. He stated that delays in disbursing pending amounts have adversely affected employees, pensioners, patients, contractors, and various other segments of society.
Gehlot has sent an urgent letter to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, highlighting the escalating financial crisis and the potential paralysis of administrative operations.
He emphasized that this issue is not confined to a single department or scheme; rather, it impacts nearly every section of society. Gehlot urged the Chief Minister to take immediate and effective measures to ensure timely payments and provide relief to the affected groups.
In his letter, the former Chief Minister noted that employees, pensioners, families of accident victims, hospitals, medicine suppliers, and small contractors are all struggling to receive their rightful dues.
He described the situation as unprecedented, stating, “Such a level of financial mismanagement has never been seen in the state’s history.”
Gehlot pointed out that the Rajasthan government has delayed payments amounting to millions of rupees to private hospitals, diagnostic centers, and medicine vendors under the health scheme for several months.
He further mentioned that the situation has become so critical that the State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance, considering it a matter related to human rights. Many hospitals have threatened to reduce their services under this scheme or withdraw from agreements altogether.
He added that despite promises of cashless treatment, employees and pensioners are forced to pay out of pocket, with reimbursements facing indefinite delays.
Gehlot also referenced delays in the ‘Chief Minister Chiranjeevi/Ayushman Accident Insurance Scheme,’ which provides eligible families with ₹5 lakh in case of accidental death. He stated that despite approvals in hundreds of cases, beneficiaries have not received payments, causing significant distress for grieving families.
The letter also raised concerns about delays in payments to retired government employees. Gehlot noted that dues related to GPF, group insurance, gratuity, and leave encashment are not being disbursed for months post-retirement, despite being the employees’ rightful claims. He also mentioned delays in social security pension payments in several districts, affecting elderly citizens, widows, and disabled beneficiaries.
Gehlot pointed to delays in payments for bills already approved by the treasury, impacting infrastructure projects such as roads, drinking water supply, and other public works.
He stated that small contractors have been compelled to issue public advertisements to draw attention to their pending payments, as this situation has severely affected their livelihoods and employment.
Describing the situation as a matter of grave concern, Gehlot asserted that the payment crisis is not merely an administrative oversight but a question of dignity and livelihood for millions of families in the state.
He urged Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to take immediate and decisive action to restore the payment system and ensure timely disbursement of pending amounts across all departments and schemes.
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