RTI for Rajasthan Health Department: Chiranjeevi Yojana & PMJAY Guide

Rajasthan operates one of India's most ambitious public health insurance ecosystems. At its centre is the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, launched in May 2021, which provides cashless hospitalisation cover of ₹25 lakh per family per year to every resident of Rajasthan — making it one of the few state schemes with universal coverage, not limited to BPL cardholders. Layered on top is PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana / Ayushman Bharat), the Central scheme providing ₹5 lakh cover per family per year to economically vulnerable households. Together, these schemes — sometimes collectively referred to as Ayushman Bharat Rajasthan — form the primary safety net for hospitalisation costs for crores of Rajasthan families.

Behind the schemes lies a critical infrastructure: the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (RMSCL), the state-owned procurement agency responsible for supplying essential drugs and medical equipment to over 40,000 government health facilities including district hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and sub-centres. Drug availability at the last mile — whether a patient in a rural Barmer or Dholpur PHC can actually receive the medicines prescribed — is a persistent public accountability concern that the Right to Information Act, 2005 can directly address.

The state's network of government hospitals includes major tertiary institutions: Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur (one of the largest government hospitals in India), MDM Hospital, Jodhpur, and MBS Hospital, Kota, along with hundreds of district hospitals, CHCs, and PHCs. The Rajasthan government's Nirogi Rajasthan campaign aims to conduct preventive health camps, mass screenings, and outreach through this network — records of which are subject to RTI disclosure.

What Information Can You Seek?

Using RTI with the Rajasthan Health Department and associated bodies, citizens can obtain:

• Chiranjeevi Yojana empanelment records: Lists of empanelled hospitals in each district, renewal and cancellation of empanelment, complaints against empanelled private hospitals, claims data by hospital (submitted, approved, rejected with reasons), and total amounts reimbursed — including legacy issues from COVID-19-era emergency empanelments that later became permanent or lapsed
• Cashless claim grievances: Specific claim rejection reasons, pre-authorisation denial records, internal communications between TPA (Third Party Administrator) and hospitals, and records of patient grievances filed with the State Health Assurance Agency (SHAA)
• Drug procurement and availability: RMSCL supply orders, stock-out incident logs, drug expiry and disposal records, procurement timelines, vendor performance data, and action taken against officers responsible for supply chain failures at individual facilities
• PMJAY enrollment and exclusion: District-wise enrollment vs. eligible family counts, Ayushman card issuance records, families excluded or dropped from the beneficiary list, reasons for exclusion, and status of re-enrollment requests
• Government hospital inspection and quality records: Inspection reports by CMHO or Directorate, patient complaint registers and disposal records, action taken on complaints, compliance with NABH quality standards or Kayakalp awards criteria, and staffing vacancy data
• Nirogi Rajasthan campaign: Health camp attendance, screening and referral data by district, follow-up treatment records, and expenditure incurred

How to File RTI

Step 1: Identify the correct CPIO. For state-level policy, RMSCL procurement, or Chiranjeevi Yojana scheme-wide data, file with the State PIO at the Directorate of Medical & Health Services, Rajasthan, Jaipur. For district hospital or CMHO office records, file with the CPIO of the relevant Chief Medical & Health Officer (CMHO) office in the concerned district.

Step 2: Draft a specific application. Quote the hospital name, district, time period, patient case reference, or scheme name precisely. Vague applications attract incomplete or evasive responses. Use the sample RTI queries above as a template.

Step 3: File online or by post. The Rajasthan Health Department accepts RTI applications via the RTI Online portal at rtionline.gov.in and through the Rajasthan state portal at rti.rajasthan.gov.in. Alternatively, send by registered post to the CPIO with a crossed Indian Postal Order (IPO) for ₹10. BPL cardholders may claim fee exemption by attaching a copy of their BPL card.

Step 4: Track the response. Note the acknowledgement number and date. You must receive a response within 30 days. Where the information concerns the life or liberty of a person — such as ongoing denial of emergency treatment or a drug shortage threatening patient welfare — the response is due within 48 hours under the Section 7(1) proviso.

Key RTI Act Provisions

• Section 2(h): The Medical, Health & Family Welfare Department, Directorate of Medical & Health Services, RMSCL, State Health Assurance Agency (SHAA), and all government hospitals are public authorities legally obligated to designate CPIOs and respond to RTI applications.
• Section 6: Governs the filing of RTI applications; no reason need be given for seeking information.
• Section 7(1): CPIO must provide information within 30 days of receipt of the application.
• Section 7(1) proviso: Response time is reduced to 48 hours where the information concerns the life or liberty of a person.
• Section 19(1) — First Appeal: File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.
• Section 19(3) — Second Appeal: File with the Rajasthan State Information Commission (RSIC) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or expiry of the FAA's response period.
• Section 20 — Penalty: RSIC may impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) on the defaulting CPIO for unjustified delay or refusal, and may recommend disciplinary action.

First Appeal

If the CPIO fails to respond within 30 days, or provides incomplete or incorrect information, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) with the First Appellate Authority — typically the Additional Director or Joint Director (Medical & Health) in the same department, or the Additional CMHO for district-level applications. No fee is payable. Clearly state whether the complaint is non-response, partial response, or wrongful denial of information. Attach your original application and any CPIO response received.

Second Appeal

If the First Appellate Authority does not provide satisfactory relief, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) with the Rajasthan State Information Commission (RSIC), Jaipur. RSIC is constituted under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, and has jurisdiction over all Rajasthan state public authorities — including the Health Department, RMSCL, SHAA, and all government hospitals in the state. The Second Appeal must be filed within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the FAA's response period.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT file the Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC). The CIC has jurisdiction only over Central Government bodies. The Rajasthan Health Department, RMSCL, and all state government hospitals are state public authorities. Filing with CIC will result in rejection or transfer and avoidable delay. The correct body is always RSIC for all Rajasthan state health authorities.