Shimla, Aug 26 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced that his government aims to appoint staff nurses in all medical colleges in the next four to five months and interviews for approximately 600 such posts are currently underway.
The issue of outsourcing of workers was raised during the Question Hour on Wednesday at the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, when the chief minister also told the House that such recruitment in the health sector would be reduced.
Staff nurses would not be appointed in medical colleges through outsourcing, he said, adding that their recruitment will take place via a written examination.
The government’s target is to deploy all qualified nurses across medical colleges within the next four to five months, he said.
Responding to a question from BJP MLA Deepraj, the chief minister said arrangements have been made to re-engage employees who were hired on the outsourcing basis at Tanda Medical College and IGMC during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government will consider re-hiring those employees who wish to return to work, he said and emphasised that the government is prioritising quality in health services and intends to scale back the outsourcing system in this sector.
While some paramedical staff services are currently hired through outsourcing, staff nurses will not be appointed via this method, he said and informed the House that interviews for approximately 600 nurses are currently underway.
In response to Deepraj’s primary question, Sukhu said that there is currently no policy in place for the regularisation of outsourced employees in the state.
He mentioned that on October 13, 2022, the government had issued directives to continue the services of employees outsourced across various departments, boards and corporations.
In his supplementary question, Deepraj raised issues regarding the removal of outsourced employees, the engagement of approximately 700 people via outsourcing in Shillai, and the charging of a Rs 500 fee for the appointment of Jalvahaks in Karsog, calling for a refund of this fee.
Sukhu said that if the claim regarding the engagement of 700 people in Shillai is factual, the MLA should place the evidence before the House rather than raising the matter based solely on newspaper reports.
He said that the outsourcing system has been in place in the state since the tenure of previous governments, with services being procured through outsourcing since the time of former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. PTI BPL PRK
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