Regularize service of health workers: HC

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court has directed the Kutch district panchayat to regularize the appointment of multi-purpose health workers who were recruited 15 years ago and retained on contractual fixed pay till date.
Telling the authorities to regularize workers' service as promised in an advertisement in July 2001, Justice G R Udhwani has ordered the payment of arrears since the beginning of their service within eight weeks, said petitioners' advocate Shivang Shah.
The district panchayat had issued the advertisement for the post of male health workers. According to the recruitment procedure, the petitioners, who belong to a batch of 150 people, underwent training, worked in rural areas for the stipulated period and then successfully cleared the interview and selection process administered by the selection committee in 2003.
However, these workers were not appointed permanently on regular pay scale. Instead, there were hired on contractual basis.