West Bengal cabinet extends health scheme to panchayat workers, approves SNCU in Siliguri
Mamata Banerjee's pre-election promise fulfilled, 50,000 beneficiaries to gain healthcare access
According to minister Manas Bhunia, the West Bengal cabinet has approved the inclusion of all panchayat department staff members and retirees in the state health plan on an equal footing with other staff members.
This fulfilled a pledge made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before to the panchayat elections this year.
"Today, the cabinet resolved to enroll all retirees and staff of the panchayat department in the state health program. The Water Resources Investigation and Development Minister, Bhunia, said on Wednesday that "they will receive all benefits like other state government employees."
An administrative source claims that 20,000 of the 30,000 employees in the Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat are pension beneficiaries.
"The state administration has been urged to include these 50,000 persons in the health system by the organization of panchayat workers. Prior to the panchayat elections in April of this year, the chief minister had promised something in this respect, the source added.
The establishment of a 40-bed sick newborn care unit (SNCU) at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri was also approved by the cabinet. Additionally, it authorized the hiring of physicians and paramedical personnel, creating 26 new positions, according to Bhunia.
According to him, the decision to provide land pattas (papers) to tea garden workers under the 'Chaa Sundari' initiative was also approved by the cabinet. The workers would be eligible to construct their homes and get financial support of Rs 1.2 lakh for doing so.
The state cabinet also approved the hiring of 29 homeopathic medical officers for different clinics and the employment of 427 contractual data entry operators for the land and land reforms department.
