Gangtok, Jan 10
In a significant step towards strengthening veteran security forces' welfare, the Indian Army's Trishakti Corps has launched a pilot project for home delivery of essential medicines for entitled Army veterans in Sikkim, officials said on Saturday.
Under the initiative, medicines are being delivered directly to the homes of beneficiaries through the ECHS Polyclinic in Gangtok, in collaboration with the India Department of Posts and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited.
The arrangement aims to ensure safe, timely and hassle-free delivery of medicines, particularly benefiting Army veterans living in remote and difficult-to-access areas of the state.
During the initial phase, the ECHS Polyclinic in Gangtok identified around 58 long-distance beneficiaries residing across South Sikkim, North Sikkim and West Sikkim.
These Army veterans often face considerable hardship in physically collecting their medicines due to long travel distances, challenging mountainous terrain and mobility issues.
Many of the beneficiaries are elderly or physically vulnerable, making regular visits to the polyclinic both strenuous and time-consuming.
A senior Army official said the pilot project is designed to ease this burden by ensuring uninterrupted access to prescribed medicines without the need for frequent travel.
The delivery mechanism leverages the extensive postal network and digital coordination support to maintain reliability and accountability throughout the process.
"Encouraged by the initial response, the ECHS Polyclinic has proposed to expand the home delivery service to all identified beneficiaries in the next phase. The planned expansion is expected to significantly improve accessibility to healthcare services, ensure continuity of treatment and reduce physical and financial strain on senior citizens and differently-abled veterans," the official added.
The initiative is part of a broader all-India programme of the Central Organisation Ex-Servicemen Health Scheme under the Adjutant General's Branch.
It reflects the Indian Army's continued focus on leveraging technology and inter-agency coordination to improve the quality of life of Army veterans.
Officials said the pilot project reaffirms the Army's enduring commitment to the welfare of ex-servicemen, ensuring that their healthcare needs are met with dignity, compassion and efficiency, even in geographically challenging regions like Sikkim.
- IANS
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