CGHS city category list for ECHS beneficiaries: These cities will be treated equal to Delhi, Goa, Jalandhar & Panchkula

Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) has issued a clarification defining cities that will be treated at par with Delhi, Jalandhar Cantt, Goa and Port Blair for treatment charges at empanelled healthcare centres for ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) beneficiaries. The city-wise mapping of CGHS charges is done on the basis of House Rent Allowance (HRA), rates that are defined as per the city a central government employee resides in.

The CGHS clarification follows a December 5, 2025 order, in which the Defence Ministry had informed about the city-wise categorisation of CGHS-empanelled healthcare centres for ECHS beneficiaries.

Also read: Revised CGHS rates for ECHS beneficiaries: New hospital treatment charges for ex-serviceman pensioners, dependents to apply from this date

What did the CGHS order say about city-wise categorisation of CGHS-empanelled healthcare centres for ECHS beneficiaries?

As per the addendum (CGHS order), certain cities and adjoining urban areas will now be treated at par with larger metropolitan centres for the purpose of CGHS rate applicability.

The CGHS order says that it is hereby clarified that for the purposes of city-class/tier mapping and rate applicability in Annexure-
i. The following locations will be treated at par with ‘Delhi (X-Class/Tier-1 City)’: Faridabad (Haryana), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Gurugram (Haryana).
ii. Jalandhar Cantt.: It will be treated at par with ‘Jalandhar (Y-Class/Tier-2 City)’ for rate-class/tier purposes.
iii. Goa and Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) will be treated at ‘Y-Class/Tier-2 City’ rates for rate-class/tier purposes.
iv. Panchkula (Haryana) and SAS Nagar (Mohali, Punjab) will be treated at par with Chandigarh (Y-Class/Tier-2 City) for rate-class/tier purposes.

This purpose of clarification is to clear confusion about categories of certain cities where CGHS-empanelled healthcare centres are situated for the treatment of ECHS beneficiaries. Such beneficiaries reside mainly in satellite towns around Delhi, Jalandhar, Goa, Port Blair, Mohali and SAS Nagar, Mohali.

In its order, the also said that all other provisions of the earlier Ministry of Defence order dated December 5, 2025, including annexures, remain unchanged.

The admissibility of House Rent Allowance (HRA) will be as per below, as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission;

Classification of Citres/Towns	Rate of HRA per month as a % basic pay only
X	24%
Y	16%
Z	8%

What did the government say in its December 5, 2025, order?

The government said in its order that rates for all healthcare services availed at ECHS-empanelled Healthcare Organisations (HCOs) located in Y (Tier-II) cities and Z (Tier-III) cities shall be 10% and 20%, respectively, lower than those located in X (Tier I) Cities. Y (Tier II) rates also apply to HCOs located in the North-East region and the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Y-category rates will also apply to hospitals located in the North-East region, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.