The Hindu : New Delhi News : Demand to extend latest benefits to all TB programme workers on contract

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 19, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Demand to extend latest benefits to all TB programme workers on contract

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI: Employees working on contract under the Revised National TB Control Programme across the country have complained to the Union Health Ministry claiming exclusion of workers employed outside Delhi from the financial and leave benefits recently given to workers in the Capital.

“Employees working on contract as part of the Revised National TB Control Programme in Delhi had gone on several protest strikes after which the Central Government recently decided to sanction additional leave, three months maternity leave with pay, medical facilities and the facility for contributory provident fund for them. But these benefits haven't been extended to the contractual workers in other parts of the country. Our job so far offered us nothing in terms of job security, health care benefits, pension or even compensation in case of death on duty,” said All-India TB Control Programme Employees Association chairman R. M. Tripathi.

The Association has demanded that all the 25,000 contractual employees, 519 of whom work in the Capital, be absorbed as regular employees and provided equal pay for equal work and all allowances and work benefits provided to permanent employees be extended to them without discrimination.

A release issued by the association said that the services of the contractual staff have been in use for the past 13 years, and when initially recruited to various posts they were getting a salary at par with the regular State Government employees.

After Pay Commission

“But after implementation of the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions while the regular employees are getting close to Rs.30,000 with all allowances we were getting only Rs.6,000 consolidated salary with no allowances. With the latest benefits, the condition of employees in Delhi has improved marginally but remains the same for several others across the country,” said Mr. Tripathi.

Meanwhile, the Association has claimed that salaries of contractual employees in other organisations, including National Health Rural Health Mission and AIDS Control Programme, have been enhanced from time to time.

“Inflation has not excluded us in any manner and we are struggling like many others to cope with our family responsibilities, and with little help coming from the Government we are finding it very difficult to motivate ourselves to continue working in this environment,” noted the release.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi