Srinagar, Feb 5: Thousands National Health Mission (NHM) employees across Jammu and Kashmir are facing acute financial distress due to delays in the disbursement of their salaries. The prolonged delay, now stretching over two months, has left nearly 12,000 NHM employees struggling to meet basic living expenses, with the Finance Department yet to release the necessary funds.
Adnan Amin, Advisor and Senior Representative of the All JK NHM Employees Association, Kashmir, expressed deep concern over the issue, stating that the delayed payments have severely impacted employees’ ability to manage essential household needs, including children’s education, medical expenses, and daily sustenance.
“Despite repeated assurances from officials that the matter will be resolved soon, there has been no tangible progress,” said Amin. “The situation is deteriorating, and employees are losing hope.”
Many NHM staff have been forced to take out loans to cope with the financial strain, but with no salaries to rely on, they are struggling to repay their debts. This has resulted in missed EMI payments, leading to increased financial anxiety among affected families. Despite serving as the backbone of the healthcare system in Jammu and Kashmir, NHM employees continue to receive modest wages. The current crisis has only exacerbated their hardships, raising questions about the government’s commitment to the welfare of frontline healthcare workers who played a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to do so in the face of various health crises.
The NHM fraternity is making a heartfelt appeal to the government, particularly to the Minister for Health and Medical Education, urging immediate intervention. They are demanding not only the prompt release of pending salaries but also a comprehensive mechanism to prevent such delays in the future.
