SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has submitted a proposal for creation of 24 posts for Community Health Centre (CHC) Thanamandi, more than two decades after the facility was upgraded, but financial concurrence for the posts is still awaited.
The proposal, involving an annual financial implication of Rs 225.76 lakh, has been submitted to the Finance Department on a bare-minimum staffing basis, the Health and Medical Education Department said in a written reply to a question by Thanamandi MLA Muzaffar Iqbal Khan in the Legislative Assembly.
The department said the health facility was upgraded from a Primary Health Centre (PHC) to a CHC in 1999 through Government Order No. 30-HME of 1999 dated February 2, 1999.
On the staffing position in peripheral health institutions, the government said doctors are currently available at PHC Manjakote and PHC Gambhir Mughlan. It said the availability of doctors at peripheral health institutions is being monitored continuously and vacancies would be filled through fresh postings.
The department said it had received the selection list of 416 candidates for the post of Medical Officer, of whom appointment orders had already been issued for 335. The newly appointed Medical Officers are being posted on priority to peripheral, far-flung and underserved health institutions with an acute requirement for doctors, subject to the availability of sanctioned vacant posts.
The government also outlined recruitment measures for paramedical and other non-gazetted positions. It said 292 vacant posts under Family Welfare, Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Immunisation in J&K, along with 290 non-gazetted and paramedical posts under the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, had been referred to the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for recruitment.
The JKSSB is also conducting recruitment for various posts in the Health and Medical Education Department, including paramedical categories, the reply said.
In addition, 639 non-gazetted posts and 261 Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts in Jammu Division are under examination in the Administrative Department. These posts are proposed to be referred to the JKSSB for advertisement and recruitment after the required concurrence from the Finance Department is obtained.
The government said measures had been initiated to address manpower shortages while existing medical staff continued to provide services at the health institutions.
