The Crossbill News Desk
Over 14,000 contractual staff of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Chhattisgarh have tendered their resignations en masse after 25 employees were dismissed for leading a protest demanding the implementation of a 10-point charter of demands.
Now in its 19th day as of September 6, the strike has severely disrupted essential health services, including nutrition rehabilitation centres and school health check-ups, posing a major challenge to the BJP-led state government, The Hindu reported.
The agitation began on August 18, with NHM employees demanding regularisation of their jobs, better pay, and other benefits. While officials assert that the NHM executive committee approved four of the 10 demands on August 13, the workers’ union contends that no concrete steps have been taken toward implementation.
“We do not want to continue the strike, but the government is leaving no room for dialogue,” Hemant Kumar Sinha, one of the dismissed staffers, told the newspaper.
Sinha also raised the question: “If thousands of employees are protesting over the same set of demands, why are you selectively dismissing only 25? We will intensify our strike?”
State Managing Director of NHM, Dr Priyanka Shukla, told The Hindu that many of the demands had already been addressed in the August 13 executive committee meeting.
She said, “Two demands – transparency in confidential report evaluation and 30 days of paid leave in cases of exigency or serious health issues – are already fulfilled. Two more demands – a 27% salary hike and a minimum of RS 10 lakh cashless health insurance – were accepted and are under process for implementation”
Dr Amit Miri, state president of the NHM workers’ union, pointed out the unfulfilled promises of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He said, “During the 2023 Assembly poll, the BJP’s manifesto promised to resolve the problems of contractual health workers, mentioning [PM Narendra] Modi’s guarantee. But after 20 months of the formation of the government and after giving more than 160 memoranda to the Chief Minister, Health Minister, Finance Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, MLAs MPs, there was no hearing. So, 16,000 NHM employees decided to protest, which has been going on since August 18.”
The Congress, now in opposition in the state, has accused the BJP government of “fuelling unrest” by responding with inaction and harsh measures, including lathi-charging protesters.
Now in its 19th day as of September 6, the strike has severely disrupted essential health services, including nutrition rehabilitation centres and school health check-ups, posing a major challenge to the BJP-led state government, The Hindu reported.
The agitation began on August 18, with NHM employees demanding regularisation of their jobs, better pay, and other benefits. While officials assert that the NHM executive committee approved four of the 10 demands on August 13, the workers’ union contends that no concrete steps have been taken toward implementation.
“We do not want to continue the strike, but the government is leaving no room for dialogue,” Hemant Kumar Sinha, one of the dismissed staffers, told the newspaper.
Sinha also raised the question: “If thousands of employees are protesting over the same set of demands, why are you selectively dismissing only 25? We will intensify our strike?”
State Managing Director of NHM, Dr Priyanka Shukla, told The Hindu that many of the demands had already been addressed in the August 13 executive committee meeting.
She said, “Two demands – transparency in confidential report evaluation and 30 days of paid leave in cases of exigency or serious health issues – are already fulfilled. Two more demands – a 27% salary hike and a minimum of RS 10 lakh cashless health insurance – were accepted and are under process for implementation”
Dr Amit Miri, state president of the NHM workers’ union, pointed out the unfulfilled promises of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He said, “During the 2023 Assembly poll, the BJP’s manifesto promised to resolve the problems of contractual health workers, mentioning [PM Narendra] Modi’s guarantee. But after 20 months of the formation of the government and after giving more than 160 memoranda to the Chief Minister, Health Minister, Finance Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, MLAs MPs, there was no hearing. So, 16,000 NHM employees decided to protest, which has been going on since August 18.”
The Congress, now in opposition in the state, has accused the BJP government of “fuelling unrest” by responding with inaction and harsh measures, including lathi-charging protesters.
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