PMC regularises zonal medical officer posts after decade, clears path for promotions

The decision was approved by Naval Kishor Ram, municipal commissioner, during the PMC general body on Tuesday

After more than a decade of administrative uncertainty, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has formally approved the posts of zonal medical officers (ZMOs), giving long-pending legitimacy to a key tier in the civic health administration and opening up long-stalled promotion avenues for doctors working in the corporation.

The PMC has five posts of ZMO’s that were created nearly ten years ago as per the direction of the municipal commissioner, but without formal approval from the general body. As a result, officers working as ZMOs had neither statutory authority nor eligibility for promotions, despite handling critical supervisory and field responsibilities. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The decision was approved by Naval Kishor Ram, municipal commissioner, during the PMC general body on Tuesday.

The PMC has five posts of ZMO’s that were created nearly ten years ago as per the direction of the municipal commissioner, but without formal approval from the general body. As a result, officers working as ZMOs had neither statutory authority nor eligibility for promotions, despite handling critical supervisory and field responsibilities.

“Although ZMOs were performing duties similar to senior medical officers, the posts technically did not exist in the approved cadre. This meant no promotional benefits, no defined powers, and no career progression,” said a ZMO, on request of anonymity.

Medical officers and ward medical officers will now be eligible for promotion as ZMOs, while a formal policy to define the next level of promotion for ZMOs is expected to be framed, said the officials.

Currently, the PMC has around 150 medical officers and 15 ward medical officers.

Dr Nina Borade, health chief of PMC, said, “The regularisation brings much-needed structure to the health cadre. Doctors who were doing the work without authority will now have official recognition, defined roles, and a legitimate path for promotion.”

As per officials, the proposal was already approved by the departmental promotion committee of PMC last year, and the general body’s approval was the final step required to operationalise the decision, they said.