With salaries pending for over two months, more than 30,000 dedicated employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Karnataka find themselves facing a disheartening Deepavali. The Karnataka NHM Contract and Outsourced Employees’ Association has issued a strong warning, stating that if their overdue payments are not released before the upcoming festival, they will launch statewide protests.
Srikanth Swamy, president of the association, highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that while most districts haven’t received salaries since August, some employees have been awaiting their pay since July. “If this grim situation continues and our salaries are not disbursed before Deepavali, we will organize protests in front of every Deputy Commissioner’s office across the State,” he declared.
Emphasizing the financial strain on these workers, Ayanur Manjunath, honorary president of the association, questioned how employees, who often earn modest wages, are expected to celebrate a major festival without their earnings. He pointed out, “Low-paid NHM workers are struggling to cover basic expenses like rent and EMIs. They endured Dasara without their rightful pay, and now, it seems Deepavali, too, hangs in uncertainty.”
In response to the growing crisis, Karnataka Legislative Council member S.V. Sankanur recently met with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and other senior officials. He urged them to intervene immediately and ensure the timely release of all pending wages for the NHM staff.
The Health Minister reportedly attributed the payment delays to technical glitches within the K2 SPARSH payment system. In a statement, association members noted, “The Minister has indicated that the underlying problem has been identified, and crucial steps are being taken to release grants to the districts by next week.”