The standoff between the Chhattisgarh government and nearly 16,000 striking employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) reached a breaking point on September 15, with the state issuing an ultimatum: return to work within 24 hours or lose your job.
NHM staff, on indefinite strike since August 18, have refused to relent despite a partial acceptance of their long-pending demands. “We will not end the strike until all 10 of our demands are addressed,” said Dr Amit Kumar Miri, president of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh NHM Karmchari Sangh, joined by general secretary Kaushlesh Tiwari.
Health secretary Amit Kataria, in a circular digitally signed and dispatched to all chief medical and health officers (CMHOs), directed them to begin termination proceedings with a one-month notice if employees fail to rejoin duty by September 16 evening. The circular branded the ongoing absence as a violation of civil service rules and NHM’s own HR policies, ordering strict enforcement of the “no work, no pay” principle.
The government has claimed to have met several key demands:
- 30 days of paid leave for accidents or serious illness.
- A transparent annual performance review system, including hearings before adverse action.
- An online portal to streamline staff evaluations.
In addition, a 5% salary hike for contractual staff from July 2023 has been proposed, pending finance department approval, along with plans for health insurance coverage for all NHM employees. A seven-member committee has also been formed to review HR policies such as grade pay, compassionate appointments, and transfer guidelines, with a three-month deadline to submit recommendations.
But despite these concessions, striking workers remain firm. Their charter of demands stretches beyond the offered reforms: regularisation of services, creation of a public health cadre, 27% pay hike, Rs 10 lakh cashless insurance, parity in grade pay, transparent transfers, and reservation in regular recruitment, among others.
The government argues that continued absence is unacceptable, especially in the health sector. “This is a dereliction of duty on humanitarian grounds, considering how vital health services are for the public,” the health department circular noted.
With September 16 deadline looming, the state’s healthcare services hang in the balance. If the strike continues, termination notices will roll out, and the process of filling vacancies will begin a move that could further deepen the standoff between NHM staff and the government.
