According to a new rule by ministry of personnel, bureaucrats and their dependent family members can now get complex medical treatment abroad at state expense and also get their airfare reimbursed. Public reporter Mahendra Goel writes to the prime minister to rescind the order. We reproduce the letter verbatim: 

Shri Manmohan Singh-ji

At the outset I may affirm that I am a true Indian and the contents hereinafter may kindly not be taken as accusation nor aspersions on anybody or system as I am neither authorized nor empowered to do so.

It is indeed Achilles Heel based on rummage to find the ignominious decision of our worthy Government of India to permit treatment of officers falling under IFS, IAS and IPS category in overseas hospitals with many added facilities particularly in a situation when our country is suffering from sclerotic political leadership, distorted economy, crony capitalism besides endemic corruption and widening gap between rich and poor with total policy paralysis.

While the country is passing through heavy rupee devaluation, ballooning current account deficit and industrial growth and GDP growth continuous dipping, decision of treatment of self/dependents of a particular class of Govt. service is not only stubborn decision but will also have cascading effect on the other services also who marginally missed the same elite tag may be because simply differences in interview performance during UPSC procedures.

Our country has already drained out huge tax payers money by way of prolonged treatments of many political bigwigs namely Hon’ble Priya Ranjan Dass Munshi, Kalpnath Rai ji, Dinesh Singh Saheb etc. overseas overlooking inhouse talents of medical fraternity of the country who reach the medical authority after passing through grueling medical examinations marred by umpteen reservations on one pretext or the others.

If these, de-facto kings of the country don't avail the medical infrastructure and human capital of the country it sends strong signals for demotivation of the dedicated team of doctors available here. I may be forgiven to add if at all there is any deficiency in the system, this class is responsible for it by not initiating the necessary steps in time. 

If the treatment really warrants for the international exposure and specific orientation of some foreign institutions then it is always acceptable, otherwise even for general and non specific treatments, the officers will make the beeline for foreign outreach. God has been extremely kind to us to have best of doctors’ fraternity with comparable infrastructure and we boast to have good percentage of medical tourism to add foreign exchange earnings, this decision will stymie the system and the cherry picking will lead to righteous indignation and high decibel cacophony.

Let the Govt. has the convivial system with erudite approach and no attempt should be made to make the norms convoluted. With folded hands may l implore you to kindly withdraw this decision for petty gains during election season and let all these service officers attend to avail the medical  facilities available in the country (may be on VIP mode) with the free hand to visit foreign hospital if duly supported by country's medical team in order to emboss equitable approach to even  the person standing last in the queue.

Once again I may submit that aforesaid may please be not taken as accusations.

Warmest regards
Yours sincerely,
Mahendra Kr. Goel