Bengaluru: The State Government will take up the issue of regularisation of services of 600 contract doctors during the next Cabinet meeting,  said Health Minister B. Sriramulu.

Salaries of the doctors on contract were recently raised to Rs. 60,000 from Rs. 45,000 after they threatened to quit. The doctors, who met Sriramulu to submit their resignations, agreed to resume work after the Minister assured them on Tuesday that the issue had been discussed with the CM and that it would be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting. Contract doctors had two primary demands — that their pay is increased and are made permanent. However, their other major demand of being made permanent was left unaddressed. 

“Contract doctors who are protesting demanding that their services be made permanent need not worry. In 2008-09, during my previous stint as the Health Minister, 1,944 contract doctors were made permanent. The Chief Minister has agreed to make 600 of these doctors permanent. The decision will be taken after a meeting with contract doctors,” Sriramulu said.

On the issue of ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) and anganwadi workers also being discontent, he urged the workers not to quit service and assured that their demands will also be met. The Minister appealed to ASHA workers not to go on strike and promised to look into their demands. 

ASHA workers, who are on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, have threatened to boycott work as their demands have not been met by the Government. They have been demanding that they are paid Rs. 12,000 each month. They are currently paid around Rs. 4,000. 

“ASHA and anganwadi workers have been doing an excellent job as Corona warriors. I thank them for their services and request them not to protest. I assure them I will discuss their issues with the CM. They should not go on strike,” he said.