Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) has been demanding the increase in the superannuation age of government doctors in the State to 62 years of all medical doctors. (Representative Image: pixabay.com)
Morung Express News
Kohima | April 21
The Nagaland State Cabinet meeting on April 21 has decided to increase the superannuation age of government doctors with some riders.
Speaking to media after the meeting, Advisor and State Spokesperson, Mmhonlumo Kikon stated informed that the Cabinet has made a decision with a condition of ‘reemployment.’
“The Cabinet has carefully studied the matter, and decision has been made that the extension of services to 62 years will be given under one condition that they will be reemployed in the clinical sector till 62 years,” he said.
The Spokesperson added that for those interested or wanting to apply for medical college (upcoming), the age limit has been increased to 65 years.
“They will not get their pension, however, they will be reemployed and recruitment process will be smoothly done without any hiccups because of the experiences they have” he added.
The decision was made against the backdrop of the long-pending demand by the Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) for increasing the superannuation age of government doctors in the State.
As per the association, its demands is based on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s an announcement in 2016 raise the retirement age of doctors in view of the acute shortage of doctors in the country.
The NIDA had further maintained that the State Government on April 17, 2021 has given a ‘written assurance’ via the Chief Secretary that the issue would be solved within a one-year time.
However, with the expiry of deadline without any development, NIDA members staged a 3-day mass casual leave protest from April 18-20.
Despite the decision, it remains to be seen whether the NIDA would agree, the association has been demanding the increase in superannuation age to 62 years for “all medical doctors irrespective of clinical or administrative roles to maintain uniformity and smooth practical implementation.”
The association was yet to react to the State Cabinet’s decision till the filing of this report.
Meanwhile, Kikon further said that the superannuation issue was among the three major decisions taken at the State Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
The two others were mainstreaming of SSA & RMSA teachers and inclusion of exempted government departments in NSSB regulations 2020.
On the first issue, Kikon informed that the Cabinet approved the mainstreaming of SSA & RMSA teachers of 2010 & 2013 batches, pending final verification of their documents.
The State Cabinet has ‘in principle’ agreed to include all those departments which were outside the purview of NSSB 2020, he added.
