The Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union and state government have agreed on a 6 percent pay rise for the employees of the emergency ambulance service.
The service is currently being run by the National Health Mission (NHM) Meghalaya as the tender process to select a new private partner to run it has not been completed yet.
It has been more than a year since the last pay rise and Lyngdoh, the Health and Family Welfare Minister, explained that the increment had not come the workers’ way because it had never been expected that NHM Meghalaya would still be running the service.
President of the Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union, Roypar Kharaswai, said that they are pleased the government has agreed to increase by a minimum of 6 percent from the current salary based on seniority. All union members have agreed to the increment, he added.
There are nearly 300 employees working under the 108 emergency service in the state.
Meanwhile, the minister informed that the tender process did not go well and the government is still unable to hand over these assets and management of 108 to a competent private authority.
Last month, Lyngdoh said that the tender would be re-issued due to various problems that cropped up with the current lot of bidders that could lead to legal challenges. Certain bidders had complained of favouritism towards rivals, while at least one was reported to have gotten the contract, though this was later explained as a misinterpretation.