CM rules out
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 10 2021: Chief Minister N Biren has ruled out further extension of service period of the 659 health workers who were engaged on contractual basis in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Replying to a query raised by Opposition MLA AK Mirabai in the State Assembly today, N Biren said that 659 health workers including 86 Medical Officers, 309 Staff Nurse and 264 multi-tasking staff were engaged on contract basis for a period of just three months.

As demanded by the COVID-19 situation, their contract was extended by another three months.

However, there is no question of further extending the contract because the COVID-19 situation has improved remarkably in the State, Biren stated.

Although the relevant rules do not allow regularisation of the health workers engaged on contract basis, they would be given a certificate each acknowledging their contributions in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic and they would be given preference as and when regular posts are filled up in Health Department, Biren added.

Replying to a query raised by MLA Surjakumar Okram, Labour & Employment Minister Th Satyabrata told the House that he has no exact data on how many migrant workers who had returned to Manipur in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic had died.

Citing the State Government's website tengbang.in, Surjakumar said that 15945 migrant workers returned to the State in the wake of the pandemic and went on to ask if any of them had died.

Pointing out that the migrant workers not only supported their respective families when they were working outside the State but also contributed to the State's GDP, Surjakumar sought details of the migrant workers such as gender and how many belong to unskilled, skilled and highly skilled categories.

He further asked if the State Government took up any initiative for them.

Satyabrata replied that the State Government has not yet taken up any initiative for the migrant workers yet the Government has been studying to extend certain benefits to them through Government schemes like StartUp.

In the meantime, the Manipur Society for Skill Development has launched a website and 1330 people who had returned from outside the State have registered on the website.

Even as all the 1330 registered people were asked about the activities they would like to take up, only 380 responded.

An amount of Rs 1.81 crore has been approved by the NEC to give Up-skill training to the 380 respondents so that they can generate their own livelihoods, Satyabrata said.

He said that a toll free number 180057285156 has been opened to discuss problems of all the returnees.

As of now, there is no Government policy to give jobs to the returnees, Satyabrata said.

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