De-addiction staff seek regular jobs

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, March 26

Seeking the regularisation of their services, hundreds of employees posted in 23 Red Cross drug deaddiction centres across the state have written a letter to the Union Social Justice Ministry.

After a meeting at the Sangrur centre today, the employees announced to convene a state-level meeting soon. All these centres are funded by the Centre.

“There are around 430 contractual employees working in the centres. We have been helping thousands of addicts shun drugs,” said Naib Singh, state president of the Red Cross Drug Deaddiction Employees’ Welfare Society.

He said each centre received only Rs1 lakh per month, which was not enough for various expenses, including the payment of salaries to the project incharge, doctors, nurses, social workers and counsellors.

“We are struggling to meet our daily needs as our salaries are meagre. We have the requisite qualification. The government should regularise our services without further delay,” he added.