Bringing in relief for senior healthcare workers, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has increased the retirement age limit of doctors, deans and medical professors working in its hospitals and medical colleges.
In order to avoid a shortfall of manpower amidst the pandemic outbreak, the civic body had increased the retirement age of senior health officials by one year. However, the proposal was yet to be cleared officially, as standing committee meetings were suspended due to the lockdown.
The proposal was tabled for a post-facto clearance in front of the standing committee on January 8. However, members of the committee unanimously referred the proposal back, stating that extending the service period of incumbent employees would deprive juniors from getting their due promotion.
In the meeting, it was also revealed that more than 50 per cent of the posts of senior doctors and medical officers in various BMC hospitals are vacant. Prabhakar Shinde, group leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the BMC, had demanded a white paper from the civic administration, seeking details of the vacant posts.
However, on Wednesday, the same proposal was cleared by the committee. Ravi Raja, standing committee member and leader of party (LoP) in BMC, stated that the retirement period has been extended for only 12 senior medical doctors.
"The service period has been extended only for senior employees whose experience and guidance was necessary during the COVID-19 outbreak," Raja told the Free Press Journal.
Senior officials of the civic body also confirmed that the extension is not applicable for those employees who are about to retire in the next three months.
"The retirement age has been increased to 59 from 58. This was a temporary decision, which was needed to tackle COVID-19 in Mumbai," said an official.
