Can't regularise NHM workers, says Punjab Deputy CM OP Soni

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 30

After initiating the process of regularisation of over 4,000 National Health Mission (NHM) workers, the government today again gave them a cold shoulder. To address the demands of various health workers’ unions, Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni had called a meeting today in Chandigarh.

The government has conveyed to the NHM Employees’ Union that their services can’t be regularised but they will be given weightage in the recruitment examinations conducted by the Health Department. The government said the employees would be given one mark each for the years of service put in, with a maximum cap of 10 marks.

Will oppose Cong candidates: Union

In the coming days, we will stage protests across state and will oppose candidates of the ruling Congress. — Inderjeet Singh Rana, National Health Mission Employees’ Union state president

The workers today gathered in large numbers in Kharar to stage a protest. The situation led to a huge traffic jam on the Chandigarh-Jalandhar Highway. The protesters said they would not vacate the road until the Chief Minister gave them an assurance.

National Health Mission Employees’ Union state president Inderjeet Singh Rana said in the coming days, they would stage protests across state and oppose Congress candidates.

In another setback to the employees, the government has refused to give fixed monthly honorarium to accredited social health activists (ASHAs) who were the backbone of the Health Department during the Covid pandemic in Punjab. Earlier, former Health Minister Balbir Sidhu had had promised to give them Rs 2,500 per month honorarium besides incentives.

Even Health Minister Soni said they deserved Rs 4,000 instead of Rs 2,500 as Haryana was also paying them the amount.

But at today’s meeting, the government refused to give any monthly honorarium to the ASHA workers. The NHM employees have been on a strike for the past several weeks.