Maintaining that it is ready to bear “extra financial burden”, the Punjab Government on Wednesday presented a proposal to the Central Government to increase pay of contractual employees working under the National Rural Health Mission in the State.

The proposal was put forward by the state Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjeet Kumar Jayani while meeting Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

During the meeting, Jayani briefed the Union Health Minister about low salaries of NRHM contractual employees. “There is a big gap in the pay of regular and contractual employees therefore Punjab Government is sincerely working out to increase salary of contractual employees of NRHM and even given its accent to the Centre that Punjab Government is ready to bear the extra financial burden of its share of increased pay of NRHM employees,” he added.

Jayani appealed to the Union Health Minister to take up this matter urgently with the department to take a positive decision on the issue and release additional funds for this cause. “Union Minister has assured that he would discuss the matter with the senior officials and come up with positive results,” said Jayani.

The Minister also briefed Dr Vardhan about ongoing campaign to curb drugs in the state, saying that positive results are coming out of this campaign and State Government would completely curb drug addiction in the state within next two years.“Punjab Government is setting up rehabilitation centre in all 22 districts for treating the drug addicts. Till date, 3.68 lakh persons have visited for checkup in OPDs and 1.62 lakh have visited drug de-addiction camps,” said the Minister, adding that 16,000 drug addicts have been treated in the state.

Jayani said that Union Health Minister has also assured him full support from the Centre to curb drugs in Punjab.