Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department on Tuesday constituted an inter-departmental committee to examine the demands raised by the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA). The OMSA has been pressing for fulfilment of a long-pending charter of demands concerning service conditions, career progression and incentives for doctors serving in govt healthcare institutes.The committee has been tasked with assessing the feasibility of various demands and suggesting a way forward. According to a notification, the committee will be headed by the principal secretary of the finance department. The principal secretaries of the general administration and public grievances and law departments have been included as members, while the commissioner-cum-secretary of the health department will also be a member. The director of health services, Odisha, will serve as the member convener of the committee.The move comes against the backdrop of a recent cease-work strike by OMSA. Doctors affiliated with OMSA have been demanding implementation of dynamic assured career progression, a transparent and time-bound promotion policy, resolution of discrepancies in pay and service benefits and improvement in working conditions.The association called off its strike following an assurance by the govt.
