Contractual health employees in state call for permanent retirement policy

After more than 13 years of service under the National Health Mission (NHM), Chering Lal Negi, who worked as DR-TB Coordinator at the office of the Chief Medical Officer in Reckong Peo, Kinnaur district, has retired — still on a contractual basis and without any post-retirement financial benefits.

The information was shared by Navneet Guleria, Vice-President of the State Health Society (NHM) Contract Employees’ Association, Himachal Pradesh. Guleria expressed concern over the plight of NHM contractual employees, who spend their entire careers serving the public but retire without financial security.

“Normally, retirement is a moment of pride for government employees. But for NHM contractual workers, it becomes a painful moment as they do not receive gratuity or any post-retirement income,” Guleria said.

He added while private-sector employees are entitled to gratuity and other benefits, NHM staff — despite working under government supervision for years — are deprived of even basic retirement security.

“It is heartbreaking an employee who devoted over a decade to public health has to retire without support. The salary he earned during service was the only livelihood for his family and now even that has ended,” he said.

The association has urged the CM and state Health Minister to implement a permanent policy for NHM employees to ensure future retirees do not face similar hardship.