Kamal Nath govt's diktat to health workers, bring men for sterilisation or face penalty

The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has ordered health workers in the state to bring atleast one man for sterilisation or face a penalty.

"Officials in the district should identify workers with zero work output and apply the 'no work, no pay' principle if, they have failed to get one male person for sterilisation in the 2019-20 period," stated the order in Hindi, signed by National Health Mission (NHM), Madhya Pradesh, Mission Co-ordinator, Chavi Bharadwaj.

The diktat has stark similarity with the sterilisation drive forced on people during the national emergency in 1975 under the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government.

"All male multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs) should mobilise at least five to ten willing beneficiaries who will opt for sterilisation when camps are held in districts," the order dated February 11 further said.

"If the target is not achieved by February 20 then the proposals calling for compulsory retirement of MPHWs will be sent through District Collectors to the NHM headquarters in Bhopal," the order stated further.