In the absence of proper policy, the future of staff hired under Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) – II under National Health Mission (NHM) project hangs in balance.

With no clarity, state of confusion prevails in this regard to their future prospects as they are made to serve the government institution in bits and pieces.

While the same scenario prevails in the entire country for the staff recruited under this project, in Himachal Pradesh, seven employees of RCH-II /NHM project at State Institute of Health and family Welfare (SIHFW) Parimahal, Shimla have been rendering their services for different tenures against eight sanctioned posts since the inception of project.

The funds or their salaries are allocated by the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW).

The posts include Consultant (Finance), Personal Assistant one each, two Consultants (research officer) and three Technical Assistants.

According to sources, the project has been extended for another year, accordingly as per the yearly basis extension.

While, the contract of these employees came to an end on March 31, however, towards closing of the March month, they were granted two months extension instead, leaving them in a quandary.

Furthermore, as per an earlier notification, prior to the two month extension, the current posts have been trimmed to 5 from existing 8 sanctioned posts.

The RCH-II staff has taken up their grievances with the state health authorities as well as the Union Health Minister regarding continuation of services and revision of salary, however, nothing concrete has come forth.

One of the employees has been rendering his service for more than 15 years from different tenures, another has served for more than 5 years and three for three years for the state health services posted at SIHFW, Parimahal, Shimla. The salary of these employees has not been revised since 2009, when the last revision of salaries was done.

While, different policies are being made for all kinds of contractual staff who are working in different societies and also for the other contractual staff in the state, however, these employees of RCH-II/NHM Project do not fall under the preview of any policy framed by the state government as well as in the Central government, whether it is for contractual staff of societies or any other contractual staff.

“We are taking up the case with the state government,” said Health and Family Welfare Director Baldev Kumar.

RCH is a programme for mother and child. The first phase of RCH- I was launched in the year 1998 and second phase of RCH-II commenced from April 1, 2005. The main objective of the programme is to bring about the change mainly in the three critical health indicators reduce fertility total rate, infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio.