8th Pay Commission: ₹20,000 Medical Allowance Proposed for 1 Crore Employees

• Employee associations demand Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) increase from ₹1,000 to ₹20,000 for central government employees and pensioners.
• The proposal, submitted to the 8th Pay Commission, targets those not covered by the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in rural and remote areas.
• The hike is deemed essential due to soaring medical expenses, inflation, and the inadequacy of the current ₹1,000 allowance.
• Approximately 1 crore central government employees and pensioners nationwide, especially those in small towns and villages, could benefit.
• Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai chairs the 8th Pay Commission, which is reviewing this and other demands, though no final decision has been announced.