RTI for Madhya Pradesh Health Department: PMJAY, Ayushman MP & Government Hospitals

Madhya Pradesh — India's second-largest state by area — carries one of the country's most complex public health burdens. With a significant tribal population concentrated in the Bastar, Jhabua, Mandla, and Dindori belts, the state faces persistent challenges in maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation coverage, and access to specialist care. The Public Health and Family Welfare Department, administered through the Directorate of Health Services in Bhopal, oversees a vast network of district hospitals, community health centres (CHCs), primary health centres (PHCs), sub-centres, and three major medical colleges — Hamidia Hospital Bhopal, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMMC) Indore, and the government medical college in Jabalpur. AIIMS Bhopal, though a central government institution, serves as a tertiary referral hub for the region.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the national cashless health insurance scheme, is the primary financial protection mechanism for poor families in MP. Complementing it, the state has layered its own schemes — including the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission and the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swasthya Bima Yojana (DDUSY) — to extend coverage to non-PMJAY beneficiaries. Drug procurement and supply is managed through MPSCL (Madhya Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation), which procures medicines for the public health system. The National Health Mission (NHM) MP funds maternal health, immunisation, and community health worker programmes, including ASHA workers across all 55 districts. Yet gaps remain: immunisation coverage in Shivpuri and Bastar-adjacent districts lags national targets, drug stock-outs at rural PHCs are routinely reported, and PMJAY claim rejections leave patients without recourse.

The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives every citizen — patient, family member, journalist, or civil society researcher — a legally enforceable right to access the records held by this department and its subordinate offices. This guide explains how to use that right effectively.

What Information Can You Seek?

RTI to the MP Health Department and its subordinate offices can yield:

PMJAY and Ayushman Bharat records: District-wise beneficiary enrollment counts, e-card issuance data, empanelled hospital lists, claim submission and approval rates, pre-authorization denial reasons, and hospital-wise reimbursement amounts. Where a cashless treatment claim has been rejected or delayed, RTI can surface the specific denial reason — enabling patients or families to challenge wrongful rejections under the grievance mechanism.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swasthya Bima Yojana (DDUSY): Beneficiary records for non-PMJAY families covered under the state scheme, claims processed, amounts disbursed, and cases of eligible families excluded from enrollment.

Drug availability and MPSCL procurement: Stock registers at district hospitals, PHCs, and CHCs; MPSCL procurement orders and supply dispatch records; stock-out incident logs; and action taken against officers responsible for shortages. Where patients pay out-of-pocket for medicines that should be free, RTI can document the institutional failure.

Hospital inspection and quality records: CMO and CMHO inspection reports for district hospitals and CHCs, patient complaint registers, adverse event records, staff vacancy positions (doctor, nurse, ANM), and compliance assessment against Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS).

Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission: Beneficiary and claim data, amounts disbursed, and pending application registers with delay reasons.

Maternal and child health statistics: Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) data by district, full immunisation coverage (FIC) percentages, and action plans prepared to address shortfalls — particularly relevant for Shivpuri, Rajgarh, Barwani, and tribal districts where MMR and IMR remain high.

NHM MP programme records: ASHA worker payment registers, janani suraksha yojana (JSY) beneficiary counts and disbursements, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) enrollment data, and ambulance (108/104) service call logs and response time data.

How to File RTI

Step 1 — Identify the correct CPIO. For state-level policy, consolidated data, or Directorate-held records, file with the State Public Information Officer, Directorate of Health Services, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal. For district hospitals, PHCs, CHCs, and district-specific records, file with the CPIO at the Chief Medical & Health Officer (CMHO) of the relevant district. MGMMC Indore and Hamidia Hospital Bhopal have their own CPIOs as they are separate public authorities.

Step 2 — Draft a precise application. Use the sample RTI questions above as a template. Specify the district, facility name, scheme name, time period, and patient or case identifiers where applicable. Precise questions yield actionable responses; vague ones invite incomplete replies.

Step 3 — File online. Visit rtionline.gov.in, select the relevant MP Health Department authority, complete the form, and pay the ₹10 fee online. BPL cardholders may upload their BPL card to claim fee exemption. Retain the acknowledgement number.

Step 4 — File offline if needed. Send the application by registered post to the CPIO's address with a ₹10 Indian Postal Order (IPO) in favour of the Accounts Officer of the relevant office. Retain the postal receipt and a photocopy of the application.

Key RTI Act Provisions

The MP Health Department, Directorate of Health Services, and all CMHOs are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

• Section 6: Procedure for filing RTI applications.
• Section 7(1): The CPIO must respond within 30 days of receiving the application.
• Section 7(1) proviso: Response time reduces to 48 hours where information concerns the life or liberty of a person — relevant for urgent cases involving denial of emergency treatment, drug availability at ICUs, or maternal death inquiries.
• Section 19(1) — First Appeal: File within 30 days of the date of the CPIO's decision or the expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. No fee is payable.
• Section 19(3) — Second Appeal: File with the Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission (MPSIC). Do not file with the CIC — the MP Health Department is a state public authority and the CIC has no jurisdiction.
• Section 20 — Penalty: MPSIC can impose ₹250 per day on the defaulting CPIO, up to ₹25,000, and recommend disciplinary action.

First Appeal

If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete or unsatisfactory, 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. The First Appellate Authority is the officer immediately senior to the CPIO — typically the Additional Director or Joint Director (Health Services) at the state level, or the Civil Surgeon/CMHO at the district level. The FAA must decide the appeal within 30 days (extendable to 45 days with written reasons).

Second Appeal

If the First Appellate Authority also fails to respond satisfactorily, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act with the Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission (MPSIC) in Bhopal. The MPSIC is constituted under Section 15 of the RTI Act by the Governor of Madhya Pradesh and is the supreme appellate authority for all MP state public authorities — including the Health Department, Directorate of Health Services, all CMHOs, MGMMC Indore, and Hamidia Hospital Bhopal. The second appeal must be filed within 90 days of the FAA's decision or expiry of the FAA's response period.

Never file a second appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) for MP Health Department RTI matters. The CIC has jurisdiction only over central government public authorities. AIIMS Bhopal is a central institution — RTI on AIIMS Bhopal goes to AIIMS's own CPIO with second appeal to the CIC. All other MP state health institutions, including NHM MP, go to MPSIC.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Can RTI reveal PMJAY claim rejections in Madhya Pradesh? Yes. RTI can provide claim rejection reasons, hospital-wise approval rates, pre-authorization denial data, and whether specific treatment packages were correctly applied — helping patients or families challenge wrongful rejections.

How can RTI help with medicine shortages in MP government hospitals? RTI can reveal drug stock registers, MPSCL (Madhya Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation) procurement records, stock-out logs, and action taken against pharmacists or supply chain officers responsible for shortages.

What is the first appeal process for MP 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, Health Services) in the department.

Where do I file a second appeal for MP Health RTI? Second appeals under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act go to the Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission (MPSIC) in Bhopal, not the Central Information Commission.

Can RTI help tribal patients in MP's scheduled areas access health scheme information? Yes. RTI is particularly useful for tribal communities in Mandla, Dindori, and Jhabua — to verify PMJAY enrollment, whether free treatment under DDUSY was actually provided, and access to specialist referral services under NHM. Immunisation coverage gaps documented in Shivpuri and tribal belt districts can also be surfaced through RTI on NHM district immunisation reports.