No work, no pay: Chhattisgarh Govt warns 16,000 striking NHM contractual employees

Issuing an order in this regard, the Department of Health and Family Welfare directed all Chief Medical and Health Officers (CMHOs) not to release salaries of absent employees. The order further instructed CMHOs in each district to submit details of employees absent since August 18 and to issue show-cause notices asking them to resume duty within 24 hours, failing which disciplinary action, including dismissal, will be taken, as per the TOI media report.

However, the protesters have refused to back off and reiterated that they will continue their indefinite strike until their demands are met. Their 10 key points demand include job security through merger, establishment of Public Health Cadre, determination of grade pay, improvement in performance evaluation system, pending 27% salary hike, reservation of seats in regular recruitment, compassionate appointment, provision for medical or other leave, transfer policy and minimum Rs 10 lakh medical insurance. 

The ruling BJP had promised in its 2023 Assembly poll manifesto to resolve the issues faced by NHM employees, but despite submitting more than 160 memorandums to the Vishnu Deo Sai government, no positive response has been received, Chhattisgarh Pradesh NHM Karamchari Sangh Dr Amit Kumar Miri told PTI.

"Disappointed over this, around 16,000 contractual NHM employees launched an indefinite strike on August 18 at all district headquarters, including Raipur. For the last 20 years, exploited, oppressed and low-paid NHM contractual health workers have been fighting for their key demands such as regularisation, creation of a public health cadre, grade pay, and compassionate appointments," Miri said.

The state government claims NHM employees come under the purview of the Central government, but, technically, the matter of health services and health workers in the state lies within the jurisdiction of the state government, he asserted.

"We will continue the agitation until our demands are met," he added.

Hemant Kumar Sinha, 'Prantiya Sarankshak' of the Sangh, said around 1,300 NHM employees have been staging a protest at Dharna Sthal in Tuta village here, but instead of addressing the demands, the government has started suppressing NHM employees.

"The health department has issued notices to protesting employees in various districts asking them to resume duty within 24 hours, failing which disciplinary action will be taken, including dismissal from service," Sinha claimed.

When asked about the protest, BJP MP Vijay Baghel told reporters he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal.

"The state government has been fulfilling promises made under 'Modi ki guarantee' (poll promises). I will request the CM and the Health Minister to address the demands of protesting NHM employees," he said.