SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is working to constitute a fresh committee to examine the demands of National Health Mission employees, nearly a decade after an earlier panel was formed to consider their grievances, the Health and Medical Education Department has told the Legislative Assembly.
The department said it was examining the demands of NHM employees and would take further action based on the recommendations of the proposed committee.
The disclosure was made in response to a starred question by Billawar MLA Satish Kumar Sharma on the status of the demands of contractual NHM employees, including a reported recommendation concerning 1,026 employees.
An earlier four-member committee was constituted by the Health and Medical Education Department through Government Order No. 151-HME of 2017 dated March 15, 2017. It comprised the Directors of Health Services, Jammu and Kashmir, the Mission Director, NHM, J&K, and an Additional Secretary to the Government in the Health and Medical Education Department.
The committee was directed to submit its report within two months, while NHM employees were asked to submit their charter of demands through their representatives.
In its latest reply, however, the Government did not provide details of the alleged recommendation for regularisation of 1,026 NHM employees contained in File No. HD/NHM/10/2025. Instead, it said the employees’ demands were being examined and that a new committee would be constituted to examine their genuine demands.
No proposal for new PHCs in four Billawar habitations
The Government said there is currently no proposal to establish new Primary Health Centres in Dehota, Baggan, Marhoon and Katli because the habitations do not meet the population criterion prescribed under the Indian Public Health Standards.
For hilly areas, the IPHS provides for a minimum population of 20,000 for establishing a PHC, according to the reply.
The department said J&K is currently focusing on consolidating existing health facilities, with around 4,000 health institutions operating at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Citing a 2023 report of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Government said J&K has one health institution for approximately every 3,500 people, compared with a national average of around 6,000 people.
The department said it plans to strengthen existing facilities in accordance with IPHS 2022 norms and expand e-Sanjeevani and telemedicine services through a hub-and-spoke model.
It added that a PHC at Katli, serving Katli, Dehota, Baggan and Marhoon, could be considered when the Government begins the process of opening new health institutions. The proposed catchment area has a population of around 25,000.
Any such decision would depend on several factors, including IPHS norms, distance from existing health facilities, availability of land and resources, and lifting of the austerity measures imposed under Government Order No. 198-F of 2026 dated May 22, 2026, issued by the Finance Department.
SDH Billawar has 20 vacancies against sanctioned strength
At Sub-District Hospital Billawar, 18 Medical Officer posts are permissible, of which 11 are currently in position. Among paramedical and other staff, 41 of the sanctioned 54 posts are filled.
The institution therefore has 52 personnel against a sanctioned strength of 72, leaving 20 vacancies.
At PHC Ramkot, one of four sanctioned Medical Officer posts is occupied, while eight of 13 sanctioned paramedical and other staff positions are filled. The total in-position strength is nine against 17 sanctioned posts, leaving eight vacancies.
The department separately said all permissible NHM positions at both institutions are filled.
At SDH Billawar, four of four NHM Ayush Medical Officer posts and all 18 NHM paramedical posts are occupied, giving a total of 22 personnel against 22 positions.
At PHC Ramkot, the single NHM Ayush Medical Officer post and all three NHM paramedical posts are filled, with four personnel against four positions.
Rs 16.50 lakh Ramkot PHC repair work completed
The repair and renovation of PHC Ramkot was taken up under the District Capex Budget for 2023-24 at an estimated cost of Rs 16.50 lakh. The department said Rs 6.15 lakh had been incurred and the work was physically complete.
A 100 KVA transformer was also installed at the health centre during 2024-25 under the District Capex Budget at a cost of Rs 6.29 lakh to provide power supply to the institution.
A Detailed Project Report for PHC Ramkot is also being prepared by the PWD R&B Kathua-Samba Circle.
For PHC Bhaddu in Billawar, a DPR for a new building has been prepared at an estimated cost of Rs 261.58 lakh. The department said the possibility of taking up the project in the next financial year would be explored subject to availability of sufficient funds.
The reply was signed by the Minister in charge of Health and Medical Education and the Deputy Secretary to the Government, Health and Medical Education Department, and was dated September 24, 2026.
