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Dimapur, Feb. 25 (EMN): Asserting the principle of ‘no work no pay’, a group of health workers in Nagaland has warned the government that it would go for “total cease work (sic)” if the workers’ pending salaries are not released by March 5.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the National Health Mission Employees Association stated that salaries of its members have not been paid from December 2019 to February 2020.
“It has been learnt that the state had already received the first instalment from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, government of India (GoI), on December 24, 2019, for the financial year 2019-20 but, till date it is lying at the state treasury.
“As per GoI letter No. D.O. No. G.27017/6/2015-NHM (Fin) dated June 7, 2016, from additional secretary and mission director, NHM MoH&FW, GoI to the chief secretary and also, in the month of November 2017, director (Finance-NHM) MoH&FW, GoI had written a letter to the principal secretary and mission director vide letter No. D.O. No. G.25020/1/2017-18 (NHM-Finance), that the funds from the state treasury to state health society (NHM) account must be transferred within 15 days of receipt of funds from government of India,” it stated.
On September 10, 2018, the association had submitted a representation to the chief secretary, who is also the chairman of the governing body of State Health Society, NHM, seeking release of fund from state treasury to state health society within 15 days, it added.
“But, the same trend of delayed fund flow has been observed, till date. This adversely had impacted on the performance of NHM programmes and activities (mission mode with conditionalities) which in turn has affected the output leading to disincentives, as well, from GoI. Therefore, keeping in view the unprecedented constraints and hardships being faced by the NHM employees, the association appeals the government to release the pending fund as stated,” read the statement.
It also appealed to the state government to reserve fund for remuneration component for a minimum of three months. “The Association thus appeals the state government to kindly adhere to the financial norms, as mandated by GoI, for the smooth functioning and positive outcome of the programme," it stated.