Hyderabad: Frequent cancellation of NIMS manpower contract stings staff

Hyderabad: Right from the outbreak of novel corona virus several health workers are working day and night to save lives despite putting their own live at risk. Ironically these significant frontline warriors in Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) working as outsourcing employees are facing serious difficulties because of the frequent cancellations of manpower contract to private agencies.

According to sources, the NIMS issued the notification of manpower through labour contract in January 2021, after the completion of the tender date once again issued and three private agencies came forward, the final bid was opened on May 25 and agencies were qualified to take the tender but so far no tender has been issued to any of the agency.

Sources further stated that authorities had canceled the tender twice, are trying to cancel it for a third time. With authorities frequently canceling the tenders, not only contractors but also outsourced employees are struggling. This has led to delay in wages for hundreds of outsourcing employees.

Sources told that there are allegations against a higher official allegedly trying to tie up with a contractor of their choice, who pays a high commission to them.

When asked by the Medical Superintendent of NIMS, Dr Nimma Satyanarayana said, "No decision has been taken yet on the issue of allocation of manpower contract and this issue is still under discussion."

D. Rajesh, who works as a ward boy in the NIMS Hospital claims that he had not received his salary since May, though he had been regularly attending his duty. He says, "I have been requesting the authorities for the salary but they have given an excuse saying that once the tender is passed all the outsourcing employees would get their salaries at once."

Like Rajesh, there are many more ward boys and Ayas, who have not received their wages or salaries and with lockdown, in force, they have been facing a lot of difficulties to arrange food and ration for their family members.

The finance bid is Rs 1.3 crore per month for the agency. The outsourcing agency at NIMS Hospital, which currently has a capacity of 1500 beds, has decided to call for tenders once again with 974 unskilled on an outsourcing basis (ward boys, sweepers) workers, and 319 skilled. Besides, the hospital also has computer operators and lab assistants, who are also awaiting their increments which were promised during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.