PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Mar 1: With the dip in the covid cases in the district, the Civil Surgeon has ordered to remove the (Village level entrepreneurs) VLEs who had been appointed by the health department to increase the covid testing in the district. As many as 244 VLEs, engaged as the front-line workers during the pandemic, have been removed with effect from today.
Ranchi Civil Surgeon Dr Vinod Kumar said that there was no funding from any level for payment of their honorarium due to which there is a problem in payment of their honorarium. Earlier, the salary of these workers was being paid from the fund of Covid. This time it was clarified in the fund released by the Health Department that they would not be able to use this fund for any work of Covid.
“Sadar Hospital has sufficient manpower for the work of Covid testing and vaccination. There is a team of 50-50 nurses who will be engaged in the work of corona investigation and covid vaccination. After the reduction in corona cases, the rate of investigation has halved and very few people are coming to get tested,” Dr Kumar said.
On the question of whether they will receive their pending salary, the Civil Surgeon said that in the coming 2 or 3 days VLEs will get their salary which is pending where 20 workers have not got their salary of 6 months and the rest will receive three months salary which is due.
“These VLEs were appointed to increase the vaccination and testing work having no technical degree because of which they cannot be appointed at some other posts. However, during the assessment of the new building, these VLEs will have an upper hand if the employment opportunity is generated. At present they will have to try for other opportunities as we cannot pay them. We have other contractual workers for which the government is paying,” the Civil surgeon said.
“They will also get an experience certificate which will help them get priority in other medical posts which have been released by the government. In the future if another wave arrives they will be called again who are willing to join and serve,” the Civil surgeon added.
