NEIGRIHMS nurses demand pay hike, threaten hunger strike

SHILLONG: The nurses at NEIGRIHMS have set a month’s deadline for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to fulfill their demands, including revision of payment to the teaching staff as per the Sixth Pay Commission.
The nurses, under the banner of All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF), held a peaceful protest at the institute on Friday. They demanded that the entry-level grade pay of nurses should be fixed as Pay Band-3 (Grade Pay Rs 5,400) and cascading effect on subsequent higher posts, besides payments of risk allowance, night duty allowance, telephone allowance and conveyance allowance.
“If the demands are not met within the stipulated period, nurses will intensify their protest and join mass casual leave and hold hunger strike. The institute and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be responsible for any untoward incident and harm to patients,” NEIGRIHMS Nurses Association president Dilip Kumar Sharma said.
According to the Association, nursing allowance should be doubled and payment to the teaching staff should be revised as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare order issued following the Sixth Pay Commission.