SRINAGAR: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Kulgam MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Sunday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate dialogue with National Health Mission (NHM) employees and address their long-pending demands in a time-bound manner.
In a statement, Tarigami said NHM employees had been serving the public healthcare system for years, often under challenging conditions, but continued to face uncertainty over issues such as job security, remuneration, career progression, retirement benefits and social security.
He said the demand for regularisation of employees who had completed years of service deserved serious consideration. He also called for addressing concerns related to wages, timely payment of remuneration, job security and retirement benefits.
The CPI(M) leader noted that NHM employees play a significant role in delivering healthcare services, particularly in rural and remote areas, and said prolonged uncertainty among the workforce could affect the functioning of the public health system.
Tarigami urged the government to engage with representatives of the protesting employees through what he described as a constructive and sustained dialogue and evolve a clear mechanism to address their concerns.
He also called for the formulation of a comprehensive policy framework for NHM employees aimed at safeguarding their interests while ensuring continuity and stability in healthcare services.
Expressing hope for an early resolution of the issue, Tarigami said the government should take concrete steps to address the employees’ grievances rather than allowing the matter to remain unresolved.
