Rajasthan has suspended eight health personnel and filed multiple FIRs after audits uncovered fake claims and irregularities under the RGHS scheme. The government has recovered around ₹39 crore and intensified monitoring to curb misuse of public healthcare funds.
The Rajasthan medical and health department has once again moved to clamp down on alleged corruption and misuse under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS). On Monday, eight additional personnel were suspended following a preliminary investigation that found serious irregularities in how the scheme’s resources were used. The action is part of an expanding statewide drive to enforce accountability in the health benefits programme.
The RGHS provides cashless medical coverage to serving and retired state government employees, legislators, ministers and their families. Beneficiaries use RGHS cards and an online system to access hospitalization, outpatient and medicine services under defined package rates.
Fresh Suspensions After Audit Findings
The medical department’s probe identified misuse of RGHS cards and state funds by staff in multiple districts. The eight suspended employees include nursing officers and health workers from Bharatpur, Phalodi and Deeg, among other places. All have been removed from duty with immediate effect, pending further disciplinary proceedings.
Officials say this action follows an earlier round of suspensions, including seven doctors, and FIRs filed against at least one hospital and one diagnostic centre. So far, about 19 FIRs have been registered in connection with irregularities tied to RGHS operations. The state has also recovered roughly ₹39 crore from hospitals, pharmacy outlets and other stakeholders as part of the crackdown.
Government Voices on Accountability
Principal Secretary of the Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, has repeatedly stressed that the government will conduct a comprehensive audit of RGHS claims. In recent statements to reporters, she emphasised that audits and real-time monitoring are key to restoring integrity in the scheme’s implementation. This follows similar comments she made earlier this month when seven doctors were suspended after audit discrepancies emerged in Sikar district.
State officials have also indicated that the government will pursue criminal proceedings where fraud is suspected. For example, FIRs against Bharatpur Nursing Home and Bothra Diagnostic and Imaging Centre in Bikaner were ordered after allegations of forged documents and unnecessary tests surfaced under RGHS claims.
Broader Pattern of RGHS Irregularities
The fresh suspensions are not isolated. In recent months, authorities took strict action against multiple entities:
- 26-lakh suspected bogus treatment claim: A probe in Alwar revealed one beneficiary card was used to claim treatment worth ₹26 lakh, prompting FIRs against the local hospital, doctor and medical store.
- Pharma stores targeted: The health department registered FIRs against several pharmacy outlets and suspended others from the RGHS panel for their role in alleged bogus billing.
- Mass suspensions: In a separate phase of action, the government suspended more than 30 hospitals and over 400 pharmacy TMS (Transaction Management System) connections for fraudulent claims.
Across these investigations, state authorities have blocked hundreds of beneficiary cards and halted payments to entities implicated in misconduct.
Government’s Strategy to Strengthen RGHS Oversight
Officials have pledged deeper structural changes to ensure RGHS operates with stronger safeguards:
- Revised procedures: The health department has updated rules and procedures for RGHS to tighten eligibility checks and reduce opportunities for misuse.
- Audits beyond claims: Regular audits are now practised not just on financial data but also on service delivery, billing patterns and digital claim authorisations.
- Expanded monitoring: Enforcement teams are reviewing hospital enrolment and pharmacy partnerships more closely.
In remarks reported by Tripura Times, the crackdown has been carried out under the direction of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar. They insisted that transparency and accountability are their priorities to rebuild trust among beneficiaries.
Public Trust and the Road Ahead
These measures come at a time when Rajasthan’s public health system is under scrutiny over implementation of broader care initiatives like the Right to Health Care Act, 2022, which guarantees basic health rights to citizens and mandates free outpatient and inpatient services in public facilities. Critics have said rampant irregularities in schemes like RGHS could undermine public confidence in government healthcare reforms.
As suspensions and investigations continue, both administrators and beneficiaries are watching how swiftly and thoroughly deeper systemic reforms will be implemented. For now, the message from the state government is clear: misuse of taxpayer funds under the health scheme will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face consequences.
Clear Cut Health Desk
New Delhi, UPDATED: Feb 18, 2026 01:00 IST
Written By: Ayushman Meena
