NHM Contract Workers in Chhattisgarh Given Ultimatum; ~16,000 Posts at Risk if Demands Not Met

Raipur, Chhattisgarh — September 18, 2025 In Chhattisgarh, the state’s National Health Mission (NHM) contract workforce—nearly 16,000 employees—has been issued an ultimatum by the government amid ongoing protests over multiple unmet demands. The workers, employed on a contract basis, have been on strike for about a month, pressing for improvements in work conditions, pay, regularisation, and other service guarantees. Government officials have now warned that if these workers do not return to duty and formally accept certain conditions, their contracts will be terminated, effectively vacating those positions. According to reports, the workers put forward ten demands. Of these, the government has reportedly acceded to four—including some modifications in wage scales and assurances regarding workplace safety. However, the remaining demands, which include permanent appointment (regularisation), better service security, enhancement of allowances/benefits, and a formal pathway for the contract positions to be made more stable, have not yet been accepted. The contract workers maintain that without addressing these remaining demands, their long-term job security and ability to deliver consistent health services are compromised. The ultimatum from government authorities comes with the caveat that unless the striking workers resume their duties soon under current contract conditions (with some acknowledgments already made), their roles will become vacant. This raises concerns about continuity of health services, especially in remote and tribal areas where NHM workers often form the primary link for public healthcare outreach—maternal and child health, immunisation, disease surveillance, and other essential services. From the government’s viewpoint, while it acknowledges some of the grievances of contract workers, it appears unwilling (at least currently) to commit to full regularisation across the board, citing budget constraints, procedural hurdles, and concerns over setting precedents that could have large fiscal implications. Officials have also emphasized that some of the worker demands overlap with state norms and policy limitations, making full compliance complex. Worker representatives argue that many of these contract employees have worked for several years, in many cases with no clear path to permanent employment, despite performing essential health duties. They say that intermittent pay, uncertainty, and lack of full benefits reduce morale and affect service delivery. With the latest ultimatum, tension between worker unions and the state government has increased. Health sector observers warn of the risk that if the posts go void, existing health infrastructure could suffer, with increased workload on remaining staff and delays or lapses in public health schemes. As of this evening, the contract workers have not officially backed down. Negotiations are reportedly continuing, though no new breakthroughs have been announced. The coming few days are likely to be crucial: either some agreement may salvage many of the posts, or a mass termination may follow, triggering possible disruptions in public healthcare services across the state.