12,000 J&K NHM Employees Go On 72-Hr Strike

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Employees working under the National Health Mission (NHM) across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday began a 72-hour strike over long-pending demands, including a comprehensive job policy, salary revision and social-security benefits.

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The strike has been called by the UT-level Joint Coordination Committee of NHM employees and covers personnel working at district, block and field levels, including those associated with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme and other NHM schemes.

The employees' association said the strike was launched after its September 5 deadline to the administration passed without a concrete response or tangible action.

The protesting employees are demanding a comprehensive policy providing job security, revision of salaries, retirement and social-security benefits, extension of EPF coverage and payment parity, among other service-related benefits.

The association said more than 12,000 NHM employees are working across Jammu and Kashmir.

The latest agitation comes five months after a 48-hour strike held by NHM employees in April over similar demands. The protest was called off on April 2 after representatives met Health Minister Sakina Itoo, who assured them that their grievances would be examined and addressed.

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The employees have also cited their long service under NHM, with the association claiming that many have been working for nearly 18 years without a comprehensive regularisation or job-security framework.

The issue of regularisation was also raised in Parliament. In a March 17 reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Health Ministry said public health and hospitals are State subjects and matters concerning NHM human-resource policies, including pay parity, regularisation and absorption, are decided by the respective State or Union Territory governments.

Read Also NHM Employees Call 72-Hour J&K Strike From Sept 9 NHM Employees Begin 48-Hour Sit-In Protest in Srinagar

The ministry also said the Union Government provides need-based technical and financial support under NHM, while States and UTs are responsible for ensuring healthcare human resources and creating regular posts according to applicable norms.

Meanwhile, a separate NHM employees' grouping has issued another deadline, warning of a UT-wide strike from September 18 if its demands are not addressed by September 17.

The ongoing 72-hour strike has once again brought the long-pending demands of NHM employees regarding job security, remuneration and social-security protection into focus.

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