Udaipur, May 13: Protests erupted in Udaipur as employees demonstrated against the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) for halting medical services and shifting to an insurance model. Since March 25, private medical institutions have stopped providing medicines, and by April 14, all medical services were completely suspended, leaving thousands of employees struggling to afford treatment out of pocket.
On Tuesday, the Employees Federation staged a protest by burning an effigy of the Medical Minister at the district headquarters. Sher Singh Chouhan, Vice President of the All Rajasthan Joint Federation, stated that the government has been continuously attacking the RGHS scheme. He criticized the medical department for failing to curb corruption by certain private institutions and for cutting medical services for employees.
Lachhiram Gurjar, General Secretary of the federation, emphasized that the state government’s attempt to convert the RGHS scheme into an insurance model will not be accepted by employees under any circumstances. He pointed out the government’s failure in managing the scheme effectively.
Hemant Paliwal, District President of the federation, announced a phased protest to ensure the protection of medical rights for the state’s eight lakh employees. Jaswant Singh Chouhan, the federation’s IT in-charge, revealed that employees have spent nearly ₹200 crores out of their own pockets due to the lack of medical facilities over the past month.
As part of the protest, effigies of the Medical Minister were burned across all district headquarters. The next phase of protests will include demonstrations during the Minister’s official visits from May 15 to May 25, culminating in a large protest in Jaipur on May 28.
The protest saw participation from various leaders and members of the federation, including representatives from the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj and Secondary Teachers Association, and other unions.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
