As nurses continue protest, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian offers 723 new posts

With nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) protesting for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, demanding regularisation of their services, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said 723 new posts could be created immediately, and appointment orders for these permanent posts would be issued by Pongal. A decision on their demand for maternity benefits would be taken soon, he said.

However, the protesting nurses, affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association, have decided to continue their State-wide protest, demanding more negotiations with the government. Some 8,000-odd nurses recruited through the MRB on a consolidated pay have been demanding permanent employment for several years.

The Minister told reporters that the nurses were receiving a salary of ₹14,000 when the DMK entered office. They were recruited on a contract basis through the MRB during 2014-15 by the previous government under the chief ministership of Jayalalithaa. It was told that after two years of work, they would be appointed to arising vacancies on the basis of seniority.

Calling this a wrong policy, Mr. Subramanian said they had to appear for the MRB exam and work for two years. Thereafter, they could enter the government service in arising vacancies. They should have been either temporary nurses or permanent nurses.

He said the DMK government increased their salary to ₹18,000 in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Since this government assumed office, the services of 3,614 of them were regularised... They were appointed not only to the vacancies that arose every year but also to 1,200 new posts created in the 11 new medical colleges.

A total of 8,322 people are demanding regularisation. “There are 169 vacancies now, and we are in the process of filling them and issuing appointment orders,” he said. Another 266 posts of nursing superintendents and 140 posts of nursing tutors would be filled. With 37 critical care blocks being constructed, 148 posts would be created for them. “We have told them that 723 new posts can be created, and orders can be issued on the basis of seniority before Pongal,” the Minister added.

“They have also demanded maternity benefits, similar to those offered to the regular staff nurses. This proposal is under the government’s consideration, and a decision will be taken soon,” he said.

Efforts will be made to grant permanent employment to the remaining 7,400-odd nurses in phases, including by creating new posts at the new district headquarters hospitals in the future, he said.

However, N. Subin, general secretary of the association, said the 169 posts, nursing superintendent grade 2 promotion posts, and nursing tutor promotion posts were due to be filled, and they were not additional ones. “We have decided to continue our protests across the State,” he said.

Separately, 724 nurses who were posted during COVID-19 without following communal rotation would be recruited on a consolidated pay after rectification of the communal rotation, Mr. Subramanian said.