Contractual staff under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Assam are facing deep frustration and worry after an internal email directed district officials to cut salaries of employees who participated in recent protests. The decision has affected thousands of workers who say they were only demanding fair treatment and basic security in their jobs.
The email, sent on November 29 from the NHM Human Resource division, instructed all districts to deduct three days’ salary from doctors, nurses, community health officers, and other service delivery staff. It also ordered seven days’ salary deduction from non-technical and programme management staff. The salary cuts apply to the period between October 21 and November 20.
The message noted that the deductions would not be applied to staff who did not take part in protests or were on leave. But for many employees, this explanation has not reduced their concerns. What has created even more confusion is a line at the end of the email, stating that if anyone protests “from now on” in any circle or district, seven days’ salary will be cut. The email closed with the line, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” which many staff members found unusual and unexpected in an official communication. 
NHM contractual workers had held protests between October 29 and November 12 across several districts. They demanded equal pay for equal work, inclusion under ESI and EPF schemes, proper gratuity arrangements, and a solution to issues related to earned leave. Even during the agitation, emergency services continued without disruption, including during district-level strikes held from November 3 to 5. Employees say they took care not to affect patient care, despite their ongoing grievances.
Around 26,000 contract staff work under NHM across Assam, and a large number of them have been serving for many years. Many say they work with the same responsibilities as permanent employees but receive 40–45% less pay and have no job security. At present, around 19,845 out of approximately 26,000 sanctioned positions are filled, including nearly 2,600 programme management staff. Some employees have served for 18 to 20 years without any assurance of their future.
During the protests, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had spoken in Nagaon on November 11, saying that discussions could not take place while the agitation continued. Understanding this, the protesting staff suspended their agitation on November 12 in the hope that they would be called for talks. However, no invitation for discussion came from the Chief Minister’s office. Instead, the email about salary deductions arrived, leaving employees disappointed and angry.
The second email, sent on the evening of November 29, came as another shock to the workforce. It was marked to almost every district in the state — including Nagaon, Tinsukia, Dhubri, Morigaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup Metro, Kamrup Rural, Cachar, Hailakandi and others — showing that the new directive applies statewide. Many workers said this was the first time they had seen such strong language in an internal communication about protests. Some felt the tone suggested a warning meant to stop any further demonstrations, while others said it might simply be a strict reminder issued ahead of the salary preparation window.
For NHM workers already dealing with heavy workloads, manpower shortages and delayed payments in some districts, the new orders have added to their stress. Several staff members say the deductions are unfair and go against their right to raise genuine concerns. They feel that instead of responding to their demands, the government has chosen to penalise them.
