SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 3: State Congress Disciplinary Committee Chairman Brajendra Prasad Singh has demanded regularization of contractual Ayush doctors on the vacant posts for which Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) has issued an advertisement.
Brajendra Prasad Singh in his letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Health Minister Banna Gupta today pointed out that Ayush doctors, who were appointed in 2013 on a contractual basis in different districts of the state, have not been regularized even after working for a decade.
“Since their (contractual doctors) age has crossed the limitation fixed by JPSC to sit in the examination, they should be adjusted in the vacant posts as they are still giving their services in the government hospitals,” said Singh in his letter to the chief minister and health minister.
Notably, JPSC has issued vacancies for 422 posts of Ayush doctors. In the service manual, the state government has given only five years of age relaxation to the doctors who have been providing their services in hospitals across the state. But contractual doctors are demanding nine years of relaxation in the age limit.
In 2012, the state government had issued an advertisement (No. 7/2012) for the appointment of 42 Ayush doctors in the state on a contractual basis. After the interview, 32 doctors were enrolled in different districts. But due to the meagre honorarium of the state government, 15 out of 32 doctors have left the job so far and only 17 are working.
In 2013, the then health minister Rajendra Prasad Singh and principal secretary health K Vidyasagar had regularized the jobs of more than 250 contractual doctors of the state by giving age relaxation on a priority basis so that most of them could be covered on vacant posts. At present, contractual Ayush doctors are also demanding the same relaxation against their service.
“After giving their service to the state government for around 10 years, they don’t have the option to sit at the JPSC examination. At this age now where would they go? Hundreds of family members would be rendered on road. So you are requested to regularize these contractual Ayush doctors on advertised posts immediately,” said Singh in his letter.
A delegation of contractual Ayush doctors of state would also meet Bermo Congress MLA Jaimangal Singh alias Anup Singh (whose father Rajendra Prasad Singh had regularized contractual doctors in 2013) tomorrow to press their demand.
