Orders issued for permanent jobs for 1,000 contract nurses

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian on Tuesday handed over orders for permanent jobs to 1,000 contract nurses. He said that a government order to provide maternity benefits for contract nurses will be issued.

Nurses recruited on contractual basis through the Medical Services Recruitment Board had protested demanding permanent jobs and maternity benefits.

The Minister said that after this government assumed charge, jobs have been regularised for 5,825 persons compared with 1,600 during the previous regime. Another 5,932 contract nurses have to be regularised, and measures for this would be taken soon, he said in a press release.

The monthly pay for 1,325 Reproductive and Child Health workers in Primary Health Centres is being increased from ₹1,500 to ₹5,000, he said, adding that the orders would be issued on January 19. They are part-time maternity assistants who have been working for nearly 20 years, he said.