Rajindra Hospital staff oppose bifurcation of common cadre

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 17

Clerical, para-medical and Class IV employees of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital held a protest against the state government here today.

The employees were protesting the proposed move by the state government to bifurcate the ‘common cadre’ of the Medical Education and State Health Departments entirely.

Currently, both the Medical Education and State Health Departments share a common cadre. The government is mulling to separate the common cadre of the two departments. The government has planned to dismantle the common cadre and, therefore, asked the employees of the common cadre to choose from either of the departments and submit their option.

However, the protesters said that if the said proposal was materialised, the Department of Research and Medical Education (DRME) seekers would be at a loss because it had already abolished several posts, thereby, no avenues for promotions.

One of the protesters said: “If the government wants to bifurcate the common cadre, they, should not abolish the sanctioned posts in the DRME so as to keep promotion avenues intact.”

The protesters staged a dharna outside the office of Medical Superintendent (MS) of Government Rajindra Hospital for hours. Thereafter, protesters held a protest rally from the MS office to the principal’s office. The protesters called off the protest after submitting a memorandum to the principal. Meanwhile, the protesters announced that they would block the Patiala-Bathinda highway on Thursday.

Govt proposal

At present, the Medical Education and Health departments share a common cadre. The government is mulling separating the common cadre of the two departments. The government has planned to dismantle the common cadre and, therefore, asked the employees of the common cadre to choose from either of the departments and submit their option.