Hundreds of National Health Mission (NHM) employees began a three-day work abstention and sit-in strike on Monday
NHM employees begin 3-day protest
Hundreds of National Health Mission (NHM) employees began a three-day work abstention and sit-in strike on Monday outside the Joint Director of Health Services office in Dibrugarh, demanding implementation of long-pending government promises. The protest, jointly organised by the Dibrugarh District Health and Technical Welfare Association (NHM) and the National Health Mission Employees’ Association, has brought divisional health operations in the district to a virtual halt.
The striking employees are pressing for five critical demands, principally the implementation of a pay scale system ensuring ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work and Equal Rights’ in line with a 2013 Supreme Court verdict. They are also seeking full implementation of the 2021 Assam Gazette Notification, which would grant NHM employees gratuity, pension, death benefits, service book facilities, and other benefits at par with regular state government employees.
Other demands include direct appointments to vacant Health Department posts, family employment or full salary compensation in cases where employees die whilst in service, and provision of Employees’ Provident Fund under the Social Security Act.
Association representatives highlighted that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had promised in his first cabinet meeting to regularise NHM employees’ jobs and provide Seventh Pay Commission salaries until regularisation. However, they claim neither commitment has been honoured.
“Not only was the regularisation of National Health Mission employees’ jobs not done, but no steps were taken even regarding giving salaries as per the Seventh Pay Commission. Even the Supreme Court’s verdict for providing ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ has not been implemented to date,” an Association representative stated.
The protesters cited several states—including Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, Manipur, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra—that have either regularised NHM positions or provide salaries and benefits comparable to regular government employees.
“The fact that the current Chief Minister has taken no steps has left the employees more disappointed and pained,” they added.The Dibrugarh strike follows a state-wide protest in Guwahati on October 29, where a deadline of October 31 was set for government action. With no response forthcoming, employees have escalated their agitation.
