NSF claims Nagaland Cabinet revoked hold on regularisation of Covid-era health workers, raising concerns over ongoing talks.
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KOHIMA — The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Monday claimed that the Nagaland Cabinet, at its March 12 meeting, revoked the earlier order placing the regularisation of health workers appointed during Covid-19 pandemic on hold.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a rally in Kohima, NSF President Mteisuding Heraang said that the decision had “shocked” the federation as it expected progress through the High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the state government for dialogue on the issue.
“We thought some positivity was coming from the government under the HPC banner set up by the government of Nagaland. But, without any consultation, the hold order was revoked by the Cabinet on March 12,” he said.
Heraang also questioned how dialogue could proceed positively when the decision to revoke the hold order was taken while discussions were expected to continue through the HPC.
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The issue concerns the state government’s move to regularise 280 healthcare posts, including 97 medical officers and junior specialists who were appointed during the Covid-19 pandemic through departmental screening.
Earlier in February, the state government had kept in abeyance its notification seeking to regularise the 280 posts and constituted a High-Powered Committee to hold dialogue with the NSF.
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In December last year, the NSF had served an ultimatum to the government demanding revocation of all notifications related to the regularisation of medical officers, junior specialists and other healthcare workers appointed during the pandemic.
The federation had also called for requisition of the 280 posts to the Nagaland Public Service Commission and the Nagaland Staff Selection Board for open recruitment.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court in January upheld the regularisation of 97 medical officers engaged by the Nagaland government during the Covid-19 pandemic.