Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)
Department / Authority: Ministry of Defence (Ex-Servicemen Welfare)
Am I ready to apply?
Check off the requirements below to verify if you have everything ready before visiting the portal.
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What this service does
Comprehensive healthcare delivery scheme for Armed Forces veterans and their dependents offering cashless medical treatment across 400+ ECHS polyclinics and thousands of empaneled private hospitals across India.
Who can use it / Eligibility
Ex-servicemen drawing defence pension or disability pension, along with eligible dependent family members (spouse, parents, dependent children).
What you'll need (Documents Required)
- 1Original Service Discharge Book / Discharge Certificate
- 2PPO (Pension Payment Order) Copy
- 3Aadhaar Cards of Veteran and all Dependents
- 4Bank Passbook Copy
- 5Photographs and signatures of all family members
How it works (Step-by-Step)
- 1Visit echs.gov.in and click 'Online Smart Card Application'.
- 2Register with Service Number, Rank, Corps/Arm, and retirement date.
- 3Enter details of self and all eligible dependents.
- 4Upload scanned copies of Discharge Book, PPO, Aadhaar cards, and photographs.
- 5Pay the nominal card manufacturing fee online and download temporary slip until the physical 64Kb chip card arrives at your selected Station HQ.
Collect finalized Smart Card at designated ECHS Polyclinic / Station HQ.
Key Service Facts
One-time contribution based on rank at retirement (exempt for war disabled & war widows)
64Kb Smart Card dispatched within 30 days of online approval
1800-114-115
Every URL, document list, and fee requirement is verified against gov.in or nic.in portals. (echs.gov.in).
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