Kohima, August 1 (MExN): The All Nagaland Auxiliary Nurse Midwife/Female Health Worker (ANM/FHW) under Central Sponsored Schemes (CSS) has demanded an official statement from the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) regarding irregular salary payments.
The body specifically seeks to understand why non-plan ANMs, whose salaries are released from the same State Treasury, are paid regularly, while they are not.
In a representation to the Principal Director, DoHFW on August 1, the All Nagaland ANM/FHW (CSS) body highlighted that for over a year, it has raised grievances about irregular salary payments and the “stepmotherly treatment” by State agencies in releasing their salaries compared to those of non-plan ANM/FHWs, who are paid regularly.
Despite multiple communications to the department and the State Government, there has been no commitment to resolve the issue, the body noted.
It further disputed the Department’s claim that funds have not been received from the centre, citing clarification from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, via an RTI request.
According to the body, the Ministry’s response, dated November 21, 2023, confirmed that CSS funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis, requiring provisional Utilisation Certificates (UC) and annual expenditure reports from the State Treasury. Therefore, it asserted, the delay in salary payments is due to failures within state machinery, not delayed payments or non-release of funds by the Government of India.
The RTI reply indicated that the Government of India will not reimburse funds until the State has utilised them and submitted the necessary certificates, invalidating the Department’s excuses, the body added.
The group also highlighted that salaries for June and July 2024 are still pending and requested their immediate release. They cautioned that if their salaries are not paid regularly like those of non-plan ANMs, they will resort to alternative measures to address their grievances, holding the Department responsible for any eventual consequences.
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