Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 6: Around 1200-1300 Female Multipurpose Health Workers (FMPHWs) working in various health institutions of Jammu province under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme are facing tough time due to non-release of their last 4-5 months of salaries while as the Centre and UT administration are passing the buck on each other.
Official sources told Excelsior that there are about 1200 to 1300 Female Multipurpose Health Workers working in various sub centres across Jammu province under 2211 head (Health & Family Welfare), a fully Centrally Sponsored Scheme but since the start of the scheme, these workers never got their salary regularly.
“These frontline Health Workers provide primary promotive and curative health care for almost all the national health programs through sub-centres and outreach activities in catchment villages but when it comes to the salary, they remain unpaid for months together,” sources regretted while adding that on the other hand, Female Multipurpose Health Workers working under 2210 head never faced such issues and they are paid their salaries regularly.
Sources said that all the female multipurpose health workers (FMPHWs) whether they are under 2211 or 2210 head, are UT Government employees but despite that FMPHWs working under 2211 head are facing discrimination on salary issue and the successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir have failed to solve this grave issue.
On one hand, the Government keeps on chanting slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” but on the other hand even after serving dutifully it is denying salaries to these hard working daughters who are the real flag bearers of various public welfare schemes.
President of Jammu Kashmir Female Multipurpose Health Workers’ Association Neelam Sharma said that it is most unfortunate that despite putting up their best efforts in several Government run schemes they have to literally beg for their wages. Usually, we use to get salary on every 3rd or 4th month but now we are without salary for last 4-5 months and one can every well understand how we are managing every day-to-day expense, she said while adding that around one month back, they got salary of November month but after deduction of tax for the months of December, January and February even though salaries for these months have not been released.
“This is sheer injustice with us as we are constantly working hard for the care of the society. Neither our salaries are being issued timely nor are our DPCs getting considered in a stipulated time frame. We served as the frontline workers during the pandemic and instead of recognizing our efforts, we are forced into a state of depression,” she added.
Sharma said that they are facing several hardships due to non-release of their salaries. She asserted that the Government should find out a way out of this nagging problem of delayed issuance of salaries as well as formation of DPCs from time to time so that they could properly concentrate to their professional duties.
When contacted, Director Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization, Dr Salim-ur-Rehman said that these FMPHWs are working under a 100 percent Central Government funded scheme and their salary comes from the Central Government but the Union Government never releases funds for their salary on time due to which these FMPHWs have been suffering constantly.
Dr Salim said that Additional Chief Secretary Health & Medical Education Department Vivek Bhardwaj has taken the issue very seriously and two back to back meetings are being taken by him on the issue tomorrow and the day after tomorrow to solve the issue once and for all.
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