Health Minister Bali Bhagat on Tuesday said that the government cannot regularise the Nation Health Mission (NHM) employees.
Speaking in the legislative council, the Minister said, “We cannot regularise NHM employees as it is a centrally sponsored scheme.”
He was responding to a question raised by PDP MLC Firdous Tak, who during Zero Hour drew the attention of the House towards shortage of doctors, especially in rural and far flung areas, due to continues strike by NHM employees.
“Government is facing doctors crunch due to the strike of NHM employees. We twice tried to address their issues and called them for meeting, some of their demands were agreed but they mainly demand regularisation,” the minister said.
“NHM employees are appointed under union government scheme, all their funds and wages are coming from union government, we are not in a position to regularise them,” Bali said, adding, “Taking a sympathetic look at the matter we have mooted a proposal to Finance Minister and hope something comes up.” He, however, did not elaborate further about the proposal.