Mizoram contractual health workers stage demonstration demanding regularisation

Aizawl, Jul 30 (PTI) Contractual health workers in Mizoram on Wednesday staged a demonstration demanding regularisation of their jobs under the state government.
    Organised by Mizoram Contract Health Workers Association, the protesters voiced their disappointment over the state health department's recent advertisement to recruit 100 new health workers through direct recruitment.
    They also demanded regularising at least 50 health workers who have been working under the National Health Mission (NHM) on a contractual basis for several years.
    The government's decision to recruit 100 new health workers was a breach of repeated assurances given to them by various officials, including ministers, the protesters said.
    They claimed they had been repeatedly promised that regular posts would be filled based on seniority and service length among existing contract workers.
    "We have been serving under the NHM for several years. We have also been assured repeatedly that we would be regularised based on our experience and seniority. But no positive measures have been taken in this regard," one of the protesters said.
    The protesters also alleged that the government was failing to fulfil its promise and instead called for direct recruitment through open advertisement.
    The association demanded that at least 50 out of the 100 posts be reserved for the existing NHM contractual workers.
    It also demanded that the government amend the recruitment rules to allow NHM contractual workers, who have been working in remote areas for several years and have no opportunity to get computer proficiency or have crossed the age limit, to apply for the newly advertised jobs.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)