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Chandigarh: Amid protests, Centre refuses to hike NHM budget
General out-patient department services and Covid vaccination drives at the government health and wellness centres, especially in rural areas, remained hit badly
Employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Chandigarh continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Friday to press for their demand of equal pay for equal work, but the central government has refused to hike the annual NHM budget for the UT.
“The central government has refused to increase the annual NHM budget for UT, but they said that the staff salaries can be hiked through the state budget. If we go by the Centre’s decision, the UT administration has two options, to either reduce the number of NHM employees in Chandigarh and hike the salaries of the remaining or to provide additional expenses from the state budget. To hike the salaries as per the DC rate, the annual budget needs an additional amount of approximately ₹3-4 crore,” said Arun Gupta, UT principal health secretary.
“On Friday, a proposal was sent to the finance department of the UT administration and they will examine the additional expenses on the state. The department will soon decide and action will be taken accordingly,” he added.
Meanwhile on Friday, over 300 NHM employees marched from Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, to the Sector-17 Plaza, raising slogans against the Centre and UT administration.
Due to non-availability of NHM workers at the government health and wellness centres, especially in the rural areas, the general out-patient department services and Covid vaccination drive were hit badly.
“Since 2013, NHM employees in Chandigarh have been working below the pay scale of DC wage rate. Despite repeated protests, the government is not willing to hike our salaries. It is difficult for an auxiliary nurse midwife to run their monthly household requirements in just ₹10,000. The employees are unable to provide quality education to their children,” said Amit Kumar, general secretary, NHM Union, adding that Covid-warriors needed a respectable pay to work with more enthusiasm during the ongoingpandemic.
Kumar further added that the employees will continue their protest, even on holidays (Saturday, Sunday and gazetted holiday on Monday) until their demand for a pay hike was not met.
