Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation employees demand Sanjeevani healthcare benefits

HUBBALLI: Members of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) Employees' Union on Wednesday gathered in front of the civic agency's office in Hubballi, demanding that the benefits of the Karnataka Arogya Sanjeevani Scheme be extended to all workers of the urban local bodies.
The protesters pointed to an order issued by the state government directing the authorities concerned to ensure that all government employees, and members of their families, were entitled to the benefits of the healthcare scheme.
However, employees of urban local bodies continued to be deprived of these benefits, and unable to claim compensation for medical services, the protesting HDMC workers said. They raised slogans against both the officials, and elected representatives, for failing to consider them for inclusion under the scheme.
The protesters pointed out that they discharged a host of tasks for the HDMC, including collection of garbage, cleaning, collection of tax, documentation, et al. They further pointed to the work done when the twin cities were under lockdown following the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
The protesters said that the failure on the part of the authorities to extend the benefits of the Karnataka Arogya Sanjeevini Scheme had meant that they had to expend huge sums of money for medical treatment for their families.
They warned the government that they would continue the dharna till their demand was fulfilled. The protesters proceeded to submit a memorandum listing their demands. This was meant for the Hubballi-Dharwad mayor.
Prasad Perur, president of the union, the vice-president Kashinath Jadhav, and other officebearers were among those who led the protest on Wednesday.