J&K NHM workers go on 72-hour strike over pay, regularisation, social security

72-hour UT-wide agitation follows April walkout; Protests held across districts, blocks as healthcare workforce presses for resolution of long-pending service grievances

Srinagar, Sep 9 : More than 12,000 employees associated with the National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir began a 72-hour strike on Wednesday, bringing fresh pressure on the administration over demands ranging from pay revision and job security to social and retirement benefits.

The agitation is being observed across district, block and field-level establishments in both divisions of the Union Territory and includes personnel working under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and other NHM schemes, according to the employees’ association.

The employees are seeking a comprehensive job policy, revision of their remuneration in line with NHM personnel in other states, and extension of benefits including Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), insurance cover and post-retirement support.

The Joint Coordination Committee of NHM employees decided to proceed with the strike after the government’s response failed to satisfy the workforce by the September 5 deadline set by the employees. The committee had earlier warned of a UT-wide agitation if concrete steps were not taken on its long-pending demands.

Employees said the latest action was not an abrupt decision but the outcome of repeated representations, meetings and assurances that, according to them, had failed to translate into a policy-level resolution.

“We have been at the forefront of healthcare delivery, particularly during emergencies, but continue to face uncertainty over wages and job security,” a protesting employee, Rouf Ahmad, said.

The employees maintained that their grievance goes beyond an increase in monthly pay, arguing that years of service under NHM have not been matched by a corresponding framework for employment security and social protection.

The latest strike also comes months after NHM employees observed a 48-hour agitation in April over similar demands. That protest was called off after representatives held discussions with Health Minister Sakina Itoo and were assured that their grievances would be examined.

The issue of regularisation and service conditions has also figured in Parliament. In a March 17 reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Health Ministry said public health and hospitals are State subjects and that matters concerning NHM human-resource policies, including pay parity, regularisation and absorption, are to be decided by the respective State or Union Territory administrations.

The Ministry also said the Union government provides need-based technical and financial support to States and Union Territories under the NHM, while the respective administrations are responsible for ensuring healthcare manpower and creation of regular posts in accordance with applicable norms.

The renewed agitation comes at a time when the health sector in Jammu and Kashmir is already witnessing protests by medical interns over stipend-related demands, adding to concerns over disruption of healthcare services. A political party has separately urged the government to intervene in the disputes involving interns and NHM employees.

The situation could see further escalation, with another NHM employees’ grouping having set September 17 as a deadline for action and warned of a separate UT-wide strike from September 18 if its demands remain unresolved.

The protesting employees have maintained that they remain open to dialogue with the government but want a concrete mechanism to address their employment status, remuneration and long-term social security rather than further assurances.