Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Health & Medical Education Department, Jammu & Kashmir, today held a press conference at the Press Club Jammu and expressed strong resentment over the stoppage of monthly allowance equivalent to two and a half days’ salary for Non-Gazetted Health employees.
Addressing the media, Jaswinder Singh, president JKMEF, termed the decision as injustice to employees and said the allowance was stopped through Order Number Acctt/236/2022/02 dated January 20, 2026. He stated that the move violates SRO-274 HME of 1991 dated March 4, 1991, read with corrigendum dated March 7, 1991, which entitles Non-Gazetted employees of the H&ME Department to special allowance for performing duties on Sundays, gazetted holidays and roster duties.
Jaswinder Singh informed that memorandums have already been submitted to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Health Minister Sakina Ittoo, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Finance Commissioner and Commissioner/ Secretary Health & Medical Education, but no positive response has been received so far.
The JAC warned that if the allowance is not restored, the Committee may be forced to call a full-day strike across all Government hospitals in J&K on March 12. However, emergency services will remain functional in the interest of patient care.
Speaking on the occasion, Arun Sharma, president, Government Medical College & Associated Hospitals Jammu, said health institutions are already facing an acute shortage of staff with more than 40 per cent posts lying vacant. He said the stoppage of two and a half days’ salary has further complicated administrative functioning and may adversely affect patient care.
Among those present at the press conference included Parfulat Singh (general secretary), Bahadur (working president), Choudhary Aslam (senior vice president), Ajay Phool, Bharat Bhushan (president Pharmacist), Harpal Singh (president X-Ray), Nadeem (secretary), Neelam (president FMPHW), Rajesh (UMCP), Anita Devi (district president JKMEF), Anoop Kholi (GMC Jammu), Ajay Shan (GMC Jammu), Yash Pal (GMC Jammu), Ram Lal (secretary JKMEF) and Garu Ram (GMC Jammu).
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