EWS treatment limit raised: Delhi HC told

The secretary of the health and family welfare department told a bench comprising justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet P S Arora on January 8 that an order to this effect had been issued on January 2.

The Delhi Government informed the Delhi High Court that it has revised the income eligibility threshold for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) families to avail free treatment at all government hospitals as well as in private hospitals built on land allotted at concessional rates in the Capital, increasing the annual limit from ₹2.20 lakh to ₹5 lakh.

The court issued the order while hearing a petition in which it had taken suo motu cognisance of the shortage of ICU beds at Delhi government hospitals.

The secretary of the health and family welfare department told a bench comprising justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet P S Arora on January 8 that an order to this effect had been issued on January 2.

Taking note of the decision, the court directed the government to adequately publicise the revised criteria so that citizens are made aware of it and can avail themselves of the benefit.

“This court takes this enhanced EWS criteria on record and directs that adequate publicity be given to this enhancement so that citizens are made aware of the same and take benefit,” the court said in its order released on Monday.

The court issued the order while hearing a petition in which it had taken suo motu cognisance of the shortage of ICU beds at Delhi government hospitals.

Then, on August 29, the court decided to examine the issue of revising the EWS threshold after advocate Ashok Agarwal suggested a review.

The court was considering the case of a 12-year-old child who was struggling between rising medical bills at a private hospital and the lack of support from government hospitals despite repeated attempts to seek help.

Agarwal referred to a March 2024 judgment by the high court directing the Delhi government to increase the income limit for EWS reservation in school admissions from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per annum. He highlighted that many private hospitals fail to provide medical facilities to EWS patients despite being legally obligated to do so.

He further pointed out that, although the high court had set up a monitoring committee in March 2007 to oversee the treatment of EWS patients in private hospitals, it had not been functioning effectively. Agarwal subsequently argued that the committee should be reconstituted to ensure proper supervision of the EWS facilities by private hospitals.

In its order, the court also directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board to expedite the recruitment process for various posts, including nursing and paramedical staff, as well as specialists.

It further asked the government to prepare a comprehensive list of all government hospitals in the capital, detailing the diagnostic and radiological services actually available at each facility, along with information on the required machinery and technical staff.

Additionally, in its 16-page order, the bench directed the Delhi Government and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to examine the feasibility of providing real-time data on the availability of emergency and trauma care facilities, as well as hospital beds in government hospitals, through a mobile application. The court stated that the data should be easily accessible to patients, police personnel handling accident cases, ambulance services, and private hospitals.

The matter will be heard next on February 13.