Superannuation issue: NSF reiterates support to Nagaland government

Dimapur, Nov. 1 (EMN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) reiterated its support to the government of Nagaland pertaining to the superannuation age issue of the Nagaland In-service Doctors’ Association (NIDA).

In a statement on Tuesday, NSF said it resolved to recommend the state government to maintain status quo with regard to the superannuation age of medical doctors and all other services in the state.

This resolution was unanimously adopted during the 2nd emergency presidential council meeting of the federation held on September 21 at NSF Oking, it said.

Maintaining that the federation has been closely following the developments pertaining to the demands of NIDA, and taking into account the ‘prolonged struggle the NSF had undergone to bring about the existing retirement policy’ of the state government employees, it  stated that the matter was thoroughly deliberated in a number of federal assemblies and presidential council meetings of the federation.

“On that note, the Federation is constrained to publicly reiterate its unwavering stand pertaining to the superannuation age of the medical doctors in the state of Nagaland,” read the statement.

The federation maintained that NIDA’s demands were “not justified” as the state cabinet in its meeting on April 21 ‘yielded to their previous demands’ and decided to enhance the superannuation age of all medical doctors including AYUSH and dental doctors, from 60 to 62 years of age through re-employment as a consultant, senior consultant, specialist to work in the hospitals and clinics.

“This was done after the state cabinet thoroughly perused the government of India’s instructions and guidelines on the matter. It should be noted that the state government has all the rights to legislate and decide on the retirement age of the medical doctors without any interference from the central government as ‘Public Health’ is a state subject,” the federation said.

It also refuted the claim by NIDA that all states in India had yielded to the prime minister’s announcement except for Nagaland and Meghalaya.

“One example contrary to this claim is the state of Haryana, wherein, the retirement age of medical doctors was brought down to 58 from 65 years of age with the opportunity of re-employment to the doctors of both the cadres of medical and dental of Health Department, on yearly basis up to 65 years of age subject to certain criteria,” it said.

The Federation further appealed to the doctors on strike to re-consider their stand in the interest of the public and to safeguard the future of the upcoming generation.