SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 2: Chief minister Hemant Soren expressed concern when he was informed that the December salary payment of state government doctors especially medicos of Ranchi has been held up by the health department due biometric attendance fiasco.
At Ramgarh today, the chief minister was surprised and expressed concern when Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) general secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh apprised him about the held-up December salary of doctors. The chief minister along with his mother and other family members had gone for worship at the famous Rajrappa Temple in Ramgarh.
“We informed the chief minister about the crisis being created by order of the joint secretary in the name of biometric attendance. He listened to our grievances and expressed surprise and concern,” said JHSA general secretary.
Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said after getting an appointment a delegation of JHSA would meet the chief minister at Ranchi this week and apprised him about the biometric attendance fiasco being faced by the state government doctors in the state.
State government doctors in the state have boycotted biometric attendance since December 31. They attend their duty and sign only on the attendance register in protest of the joint secretary’s decree.
Joint secretary Nandkishore Prasad has issued orders saying that salary of doctors and staff would be paid on basis of available attendance of the biometric system.
“Chief minister had directed to release salary before X-max. All departments in state government followed the directive of the chief minister but only the health department has held up the salary of doctors and health staff in the name of biometric attendance,” said Dr Singh.
Gynaecologist Dr Madhu Bada, a medical officer posted at Silli, Ranchi reportedly died while talking over her pending salary on phone with the head clerk of the hospital on December 31. JHSA secretary said that he was collecting detailed reports over the death but the initial report says in the morning she inquired about her salary from the head clerk in the morning and became shocked. She died from a heart attack in the afternoon.
