Health workers based at Bhajani Municipality of Kailali have not received their salary for the past four months.
A total of 40 health workers who were adjusted to the local level from the federal government have not been paid for four months. As a result, the health workers are struggling to meet their daily needs, said Chief of the health unit of the municipality, Kailash Chaudhary.
"I have been working without pay for four months and now finding it a difficult event to manage my household expenses," Chaudhary said. The health sector employees who are on a contract and daily wage basis are however being paid by the Municipality.
So far, the federal government has transferred funds in two installments, including Rs 19.2 million as the first installment and Rs 4.2 million as the second installment. For the current fiscal year, a budget of Rs 14.2 million is allocated.
Health workers have demanded the local government provide at least two months' salary immediately. However, the local level is pointing out the federal government as the problem.
The Mayor of the municipality, Kewal Chaudhary, said that the municipality cannot address the concerns of the health workers. It is the federal government's responsibility to pay the health workers.
“The staff came from the federal government, hence their entitlements should be addressed by the federal government", Mayor Chaudhary said, "We have not stopped the entitlements of the employees we appointed."
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