Legal heirs can claim reimbursement if govt employee dies during treatment: Allahabad HC
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Saturday said that if a government employee or pensioner dies during treatment or becomes incapable of making a claim, his legal heirs can also claim reimbursement of medical expenses.
The bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai passed the verdict on the petition of Chandra Choor Singh.
The petitioner's father was a retired deputy registrar. He was treated at private hospitals in Lucknow, where he passed away during treatment. The petitioner applied for reimbursement of medical expenses, but the department rejected the claim, stating that only the "beneficiary" can make a claim under the rules.
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The state government argued that under the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants (Medical Attendance) Rules, 2011, a claim can only be made by a beneficiary, and the petitioner did not fall within this category. It also cited the limit of Rs 5,000 set out in the succession certificate submitted by the petitioner.
The court rejected this argument of the state government, stating that the provisions of Rule 16 of the Rules, 2011, were arbitrary and violated Article 14 of the Constitution. The court held that if a beneficiary dies or becomes incapable of making a claim, his or her legal heirs cannot be deprived of this right.
Applying the principle of "reading down", the Court directed that Rule 16 be interpreted to include legal heirs, especially when there is no other eligible beneficiary.
The court also clarified that if there is no dispute about being an heir, it is not appropriate to reject the claim merely on technical grounds.
Ultimately, the court directed the concerned authority to reconsider the petitioner's claim and take a decision within two months, and if the claim is found to be correct, payment should be ensured within one month.
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India misses 2025 TB elimination target; cases stand at 185 per 100,000 population
New Delhi: India reported an estimated 2.7 million tuberculosis cases in 2025 which translates into an incidence of 185 cases per 100,000 population, according to the latest official update on the disease burden.
The figure is more than four times the elimination benchmark set under the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis. The plan had aimed to bring down incidence to 44 cases per 100,000 population and mortality to three per 100,000 by 2025. The target was announced in March 2017 and was set five years ahead of the global End TB goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Data indicate that TB notifications have increased by 13 per cent compared to pre-Covid levels, as IndiaSpend reported in July 2025. Public health experts have said higher notification does not necessarily reflect a rise in incidence, but indicate improved case detection. Authorities have stepped up efforts to improve reporting and plug gaps in diagnosis and treatment, under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).
According to a 2019 study published in PLOS Medicine, the most substantial gap occurs during the testing stage, with nearly half of those with incident tuberculosis not receiving diagnostic tests. Experts say stigma, restricted availability to molecular testing, and dependence on sputum microscopy continue to impede early detection.
According to official data, 19.3 million smear microscopy tests were performed in 2023, compared to 6.83 million molecular tests using the CBNAAT/GeneXpert and Truenat platforms, indicating that smear-based diagnosis will continue to be used. While doctors report inconsistent implementation across regions, legislation mandates 100% molecular testing for suspected tuberculosis patients.
Health officials point to the increase of diagnostic infrastructure, which includes approximately 10,000 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test equipment and over 25,000 microscopy centers across the country. Eexperts identify operational difficulties such as specimen transportation, machine maintenance, supplier chains, and unequal distribution of skilled staff.
Under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the government has expanded active case-finding in high-risk areas and identified 1.58 lakh vulnerable villages and urban wards using an AI-based mapping tool. Under which the latest campaign document states that of the 2.73 million cases reported in 2025, 35 per cent were asymptomatic.
Specialists warn that up to half of microbiologically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients may not show characteristic symptoms, contributing to continuous community transmission. To increase early diagnosis of drug resistance, it is advised that chest X-rays and molecular testing be used more frequently.
Specialists warn that up to half of microbiologically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients may not show characteristic symptoms, contributing to continuous community transmission. To increase early diagnosis of drug resistance, it is advised that chest X-rays and molecular testing be used more frequently.
The government increased financial aid for Tuberculosis patients under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana to ₹1,000 per month, as the disease is mostly linked with malnutrition and poor living conditions and those with a BMI less than 18.5 are given energy-dense nutritional supplements for the first two months of therapy.
