CM Nayab Singh Saini Urges Doctors to End Strike, Says Most Demands Already Accepted

Chandigarh, December 10 — Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has appealed to striking doctors to resume duties immediately so that the public does not suffer due to disrupted health services. He made the request while addressing a press conference after releasing compensation funds for farmers.

Saini said the doctors had put forward four key demands, and the government had already accepted three of them. He mentioned that the Finance Department issued a notification on August 16, 2024, approving the creation of a specialised cadre for doctors. Another notification dated October 25, 2024, approved travel allowance for duties outside hospital premises.

He added that the government has also put a temporary halt on the direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs). A comparative study of similar systems in other states is underway, and until the report is finalised, SMO recruitment will remain suspended. The fourth demand related to changes in the ACP structure has not been accepted for now.

The Chief Minister urged the doctors to stay away from politics and acknowledged the significant improvement in government hospitals. He said people’s trust in public health services has increased, and credited doctors for this progress.

Responding to a question on reduced acreage after verification on the e-compensation portal, Saini clarified that several districts were waterlogged due to continuous rainfall when the portal was opened. Once the water receded, it became clear that in many areas paddy crops had not suffered the damage initially feared, though farmers had uploaded their concerns on the portal earlier.

On another query regarding suspension of patwaris over irregularities in crop-loss assessment, the Chief Minister said it is the government’s responsibility to compensate farmers affected by natural disasters. He said irregularities by patwaris have been detected at some locations and noted that such practices were a legacy of previous regimes. He stressed that there is no room for such misconduct under the current administration.

Saini also informed reporters that timely cleaning of drains helped reduce crop damage during heavy rains.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue Department Dr. Sumita Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Arun Kumar Gupta, and several senior officials from various departments were present during the briefing.