Ayanur Manjunath, BJP MLC, has come down heavily on Minister for Health K. Sudhakar for delaying the implementation of the P.N. Srinivasachari Committee’s report on health workers’ demands.
In a press conference in Shivamogga on Monday, Mr. Manjunath said despite repeated appeals, the Minister had not responded. A meeting was held with the Minister in February this year. “After that, I have met him several times and approached the Chief Minister also. But so far, he has not bothered to address the problems faced by the staff, who worked hard during the pandemic,” he said.
The legislator said that the health workers working on a contract basis had been demanding benefits including a hike in salaries, allowances, and other benefits. They had been working with no security for their job. The State government had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of IAS officer Mr. Srinivasachari (retd.)to submit the report on the demands. The committee submitted the report about one-and-half-a-year ago.
Mr. Manjunath said that the turn of events had forced him to speak against the Minister of his own party. “The Minister does not receive phone calls. He does not receive calls from his Cabinet colleagues too. We have to convey message only through WhatsApp,” he said.
If the demands of the staff were not addressed soon, he would raise the issue in the next legislature session,” he said.
