RTI for Karnataka Health Department: Arogya Karnataka & PMJAY Guide

Karnataka's public health system is one of the largest in peninsular India, covering 30 districts, hundreds of government hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs), and two flagship health insurance schemes — Arogya Karnataka (the state-funded universal health coverage scheme) and PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the Central Government's Ayushman Bharat programme). The Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) is the state nodal agency that implements and administers Arogya Karnataka, coordinating with the National Health Authority (NHA) for the PMJAY component. Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi-Dharwad are Karnataka's primary medical hubs, hosting major tertiary referral hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences), and several medical college hospitals. The Karnataka Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KMSCL) procures and distributes medicines and medical equipment for the state's public health facilities. The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives citizens a legally enforceable mechanism to access records held by these public bodies — enabling patients, families, journalists, and civil society to challenge claim rejections, expose medicine shortages, and hold government hospitals accountable.

What Information Can You Seek?

• Arogya Karnataka coverage data: Beneficiary enrollment figures, scheme-wise claim approvals and rejections, empanelled hospital lists, and package-wise treatment rates for your district or taluk.
• PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat) enrollment records: Eligible families identified vs. cards issued, taluk-wise distribution status, exclusion reasons for specific households, and claims processed district-wise.
• Cashless treatment claim records: Pre-authorisation denials, claim rejection letters with stated reasons, hospital-wise approval rates, and grievance escalation records under Arogya Karnataka or PMJAY.
• Drug procurement and availability records: KMSCL procurement orders, district warehouse stock levels, PHC/CHC stock-out incidents and duration, expiry and wastage records, and action taken under the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act.
• Government hospital inspection and accreditation records: Quality inspection reports, adverse event logs, patient complaints filed, compliance with the Karnataka Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, and NABH accreditation status.
• NCD screening and outreach records: Health camps conducted under Mukhyamantri Arogya Karnataka, NCD (non-communicable disease) screening results, patient referrals to higher facilities, and follow-up treatment records for your taluk or district.

How to File RTI

Step 1: Identify the correct CPIO. For state-level scheme policy, consolidated scheme data, or records held by SAST, file with the State Public Information Officer at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services, Bengaluru. For district-level hospital records, medicine availability, and scheme implementation in a particular district, file with the CPIO at the office of the District Health Officer (DHO) of that district. For individual government hospital records (complaints, inspections, staffing), file with the CPIO of the Medical Superintendent of that hospital. KMSCL, as a separate public authority, has its own CPIO for procurement and supply chain records.

Step 2: Draft a precise application. Use the sample RTI text above as a template. Specify the district, taluk or PHC name, scheme name (Arogya Karnataka or PMJAY), and the time period (financial year). For claim-related queries, include the beneficiary ID, hospital name, and the date of treatment or pre-authorisation request. For medicine shortage complaints, name the specific drug, the facility, and the months affected.

Step 3: File online or offline. The RTI Online portal at rtionline.gov.in accepts online applications for Karnataka state bodies. Alternatively, send by registered or speed post to the relevant CPIO's office. Attach a ₹10 Indian Postal Order (IPO) drawn in favour of the Accounts Officer of the concerned office. BPL cardholders are exempt from the fee — attach a copy of your BPL card.

Step 4: Track the response. Save your acknowledgement number. You must receive a substantive response within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, or within 48 hours if the matter concerns the life or liberty of a person.

Key RTI Act Provisions

• Section 2(h): The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services, all District Health Offices, government hospitals, SAST, and KMSCL are public authorities legally required to respond to RTI applications.
• Section 6: How to file — no reason needs to be provided for requesting information.
• Section 7(1): CPIO must provide information within 30 days of receipt.
• Section 7(1) proviso: Response time is 48 hours if the information concerns the life or liberty of a person — relevant for ongoing medical treatment emergencies or denial of urgent care.
• Section 19(1) — First Appeal: File if no response in 30 days, or if the response is incomplete or unjustified.
• Section 19(3) — Second Appeal: File with the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC).
• Section 20 — Penalty: KIC may impose ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) on the defaulting CPIO for unjustified delay or refusal, and recommend disciplinary action.

First Appeal

If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days, or if the response is incomplete, evasive, or your application is improperly rejected, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act. Address it to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) — typically the Additional Director or Joint Director of Health at the same departmental level as the CPIO (district-level or Directorate-level). The First Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. No fee is payable. Attach a copy of your original application and the CPIO's response (if any), and state clearly why the response was unsatisfactory or why you believe disclosure was wrongly refused.

Second Appeal

If the First Appellate Authority also fails to respond or provides an unsatisfactory response, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act with the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) in Bengaluru — the state-level information commission constituted under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005. The Second Appeal must be filed within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the FAA's response period. KIC has jurisdiction over all Karnataka state public authorities, including the Health & Family Welfare Department, SAST, KMSCL, and all government hospitals under the state government.

Important: The second appeal must go to the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) — NOT the Central Information Commission (CIC). CIC has jurisdiction only over Central Government bodies. Karnataka Health Department, SAST, and KMSCL are Karnataka state bodies. However, note that NIMHANS (a Central Government institution under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India) and ESIC hospitals in Karnataka (Employees' State Insurance Corporation, a Central statutory body) are Central public authorities — RTI applications to these bodies go to their own CPIOs and second appeals go to the CIC in New Delhi, not the KIC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which office handles RTI for Karnataka Health Department? The State Public Information Officer at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services in Bengaluru handles state-level RTI. For district-level or hospital-specific matters, file with the District Health Officer (DHO) or Chief Medical Officer of the respective district.

Can RTI reveal Arogya Karnataka claim rejection reasons? Yes. RTI can provide claim rejection reasons, hospital-wise approval rates, pre-authorization denial data, and whether specific treatment packages were covered — helping patients challenge wrongful rejections.

How can RTI help with medicine shortages in Karnataka government hospitals? RTI can reveal drug stock registers, KMSCL (Karnataka Medical Supplies Corporation Limited) procurement records, stock-out logs, and action taken against pharmacists or officers responsible for medicine shortages.

What is the first appeal process for Karnataka Health RTI? If no reply is received within 30 days, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period with the First Appellate Authority (Additional Director or Joint Director of Health) in the same department.

Where do I file a second appeal for Karnataka Health RTI? Second appeals under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act go to the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) in Bengaluru, not the Central Information Commission.

Can RTI reveal PMJAY enrollment gaps in Karnataka? Yes. RTI can provide taluk-wise PMJAY enrollment vs. eligible family data, reasons for exclusion of specific households, and whether cards were distributed or remain uncollected at government offices.