NTEWA stages sit-in-protest
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 26 2015 :
Non Teaching Employees' Welfare Association (NTEWA), Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) staged a sit-in-protest against the discriminatory attitude of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (NE Division) .
Speaking to media persons at the sidelines of the protest, NTEWA vice-president Dr W Ranbir Singh said the protest was staged against the Ministry Health and Family Welfare and not against RIMS authority.
The Executive Council, Society of RIMS, headed by the Secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a meeting held on December 24, 2013 in New Delhi had recommended that contract employees of RIMS be paid at par with institutions like NEIGRIHMS, Shillong and RIPANS, Aizawl.
However, much against this decision, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (NE Division) in an order dated May 15, 2015 agreed to enhance their pay by a meagre five percent.
On May 7, NTEWA submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare condemning the order.
"We are making a very sensible demand which the Ministry itself is following in other health institutions in NE.
We fail to understand why they (MOHFW) cannot follow it in RIMS", Dr Ranbir stated.
Presently, RIMS has 262 grade IV contract employees, some of which have been working since 2001 with a starting salary of Rs 3000.Out of these, only 20 employees have so far been regularised, he added.
DR Ibungo Shah, general secretary of NTEWA said the order for a five percent enhancement is nothing but a smack of discrimination.
NTEWA members have been sporting black badges since June 25 as a mark of protest against MOHFW.
The association has warned of a three-day mass casual leave stir from June 30 to July 2 in case authorities concerned fail to address their demands.