Health workers to hold statewide protest in Kurukshetra on Mar 23
Scores of National Health Mission (NHM) employees, under the banner of Swasthya Karamchari Sangh affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, have announced a state-level protest on March 23 outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Kurukshetra. The decision was taken during a state-level meeting held at Brahmin Dharamshala in Karnal on Sunday.
Before the protest, NHM employees will submit memorandum to the Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters on March 18 to press for their demands, which include the release of pending dearness allowance (DA) for January and July 2024 as per the NHM Service Rules 2018 (Sixth Pay Commission), and the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission benefits — which were approved in principle by former CM Manohar Lal Khattar on November 2, 2021.
Additionally, the employees have demanded that the strike and agitation periods from 2017 to 2024 be counted as duty periods, with salaries released accordingly.
“On March 23, thousands of NHM employees will gather outside the CM’s residence in Kurukshetra to stage a protest and present their demands to the government,” said Vipin Sharma, state president of the Sangh.
Jagat Bisla, state general secretary, pointed out that on August 15, 2024, the Chief Minister had announced an Act for contractual employees, ensuring job security for all. “This announcement gave NHM employees hope for a secure future, but it remains unfulfilled,” he said.
Suresh Narwal, press secretary of the Karnal unit, highlighted that on June 26, 2024, the Finance Department ordered the Mission Director to freeze NHM employees’ service rules, withdrawing benefits granted by the BJP in 2018. “For the first time in history, the same government that had granted service benefits is now attempting to withdraw them. This has caused widespread anger among employees,” he said.
NHM employees' leaders stressed that they have always remained dedicated to public service, even during pandemics like Covid-19 and disease outbreaks, yet their rights are being undermined.
In July-August 2024, NHM employees staged a 22-day district-level strike, but despite their efforts, the government only offered empty assurances, they claimed. “Frustrated by unfulfilled promises, NHM employees are now compelled to take stronger action,” said the leaders.
Representatives from almost all districts pledged their active participation in the March 23 protest at the CM’s residence, reaffirming their demand for job security and fair compensation.
