The Jharsuguda District Blood Bank Employees’ Association on the call of its State unit submitted a memorandum to Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das on Tuesday.
To meet surging demand of blood, they demanded to confirm jobs of 180 temporary employees engaged in 56 blood banks of the State. The State Government has not made any provisions to make these workers permanent although 56 blood banks were taken over by the State Government in 2017, the union said.
These workers were engaged in the contaminated areas round the clock for the last 20 to 25 years. On December 4, 2008, it was decided in a high level meeting to regularise these temporary workers with higher pay slabs. But even after more than two years, the decision has not been implemented by the Government so far, alleged the blood bank employees.
They are getting monthly payment of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 which is very paltry to run their families in the Corona pandemic situation, they told. These employees are very often engaged in blood donation camps and Government programmes like Jiban Bindu etc.
The association also demanded declaring them as Covid warriors and extending all facilities like Government quarters and payment of risk allowances.