Kohima, October 29 (MExN): The Nagaland Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Department has requested the Nagaland In-Service Doctors Association (NIDA) to call off its agitation and give the Committee headed by the Secretary, H&FW to complete its deliberations.
The request was made during the meeting between the NIDA representatives and several senior officials including the Chief Secretary L Alam, on Friday, according to a press release from the department.
“The NIDA delegation was also requested to call off their agitation immediately to avoid causing hardships to the people and to avoid causing hindrance in the smooth arrangements of the forthcoming VVIP visits to the state,” the release stated.
As per the department, the Government had issued a Notification on July 15, 2022 for the re-employment of Medical Doctors up to 62 years of age after the approval of the Cabinet on April 21, 2022.
“As per the decision of the Government, on completion of 35 years of service or on attainment of superannuation age of 60 years a medical doctor can opt for further utilization of their services by way of discharging clinical duties such as Consultant/Senior Consultant/Specialist Consultant/ Specialist in Government Hospitals/clinics. Further, doctors are allowed to serve in the Medical College Kohima till the age of 65 years,” it said.
The re-employment of Medical Doctors is justified in all manners as they would be available across the state wherever there is shortage of doctors. Moreover, in terms of salaries and wages the reemployed doctors shall enjoy all financial benefits as granted during his/her erstwhile service, the release stated.
It also said that the administrative posts are excluded from this dispensation as there will be no shortage of officers in the administrative post such as in the directorate as the posts vacated due to promotion or retirement of the incumbent are duly filled by promotions from the immediate junior level.
Subsequently, the Government received the NIDA’s representation dated August 1, 2022 and following the due process, constituted a committee headed by Secretary, H&FW to look into the matter vide a notification on September 13.
While the committee was in the process of initiating its work, on October 25, 2022, the NIDA again submitted a representation calling for indefinite strike with effect from October 28, 2022, it said.
In this connection, the Government immediately responded by intimating to the Principal Director, H&FW Nagaland with a copy to the President NIDA with a request “not to resort to any kind of disruptive agitation/strike which may compel the Government to invoke the provisions of the Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1978 and the Nagaland Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1967.” The Government had requested the NIDA to wait for the outcome of the deliberation of the Committee and its report, it maintained.
Accordingly, it said that the Government had requested the NIDA and its members not to go on strike as such kind of actions shall invite Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968 which prohibits Government Servants from participating in any form of strike or in any way abet any form of strike. “Further, as per the Fundamental Rule 17 (1) an officer who is absent from duty without any authority shall not be entitled to any pay and allowances during the period of such absence. Attention in this regard is also invited to P&AR OM No.AR-13/5/89 dated 05/09/1994.
Hence any form of agitation/strike/violation called by any associations/body shall be deemed as illegal act which is punishable under the provision of law,” the release stated.
In the meeting, it was once again reiterated by the Government that NIDA should not continue with their agitation and give time to the committee to complete its deliberations, it added.
