Srinagar, Sep 22 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (JKPHDA) has expressed serious concern over the manner in which the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) under Skill India is being pushed in the health sector in J&K, even as it flagged the non-payment of Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT dues for the last 8–10 months.
The NAPS, launched by Prime Minister under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in 2015, is a 6 to 12-month training programme where 75 per cent of the stipend is borne by the establishment and 25 per cent by the Government of India.
The JKPHDA clarified that the majority of private hospitals are already registered under NAPS and, as and when vacancies arise, the same are uploaded on the portal as per norms. However, it said, what has been happening for the last few weeks is a matter of concern.
The JKPHDA, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, "Chief Medical Officers are summoning owners of hospitals, nursing homes and clinical establishments to their offices and directing them to create vacancies on a war footing and take apprentices under NAPS. The members feel this coercive approach is not in the spirit of a voluntary skill programme."
It further said, "All private hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT scheme have not received payments for the last 8–10 months from the State Health Agency. Liabilities have crossed crores. To sustain, hospitals have curtailed services and even terminated some employees. In this situation, how can we bear the 75 per cent stipend burden of new apprentices?"
The association added, "Hospitals have their own HR policy—face-to-face interview, skill test and verification. Under the present mechanism being forced, there is no interaction with candidates before posting, which is a serious risk in the patient care sector."
The JKPHDA said it is optional for establishments having a workforce between 4 and 29, and establishments having a workforce of three or less are not permitted to engage apprentices, "but unfortunately we are being forced for the same."
"As per our information, about 40,000 regular posts are lying vacant with the government. Instead of advertising those regular posts, this ad-hoc arrangement is being pushed to show inflated employment figures," the association said.
The JKPHDA also expressed surprise over the sudden haste and coercive manner in which targets are being pushed at the ground level in the last few weeks, which, it said, is contrary to the voluntary spirit of the scheme since 2015.
"The private health sector is not against Skill India. We have always supported skilling and employment. But you cannot force employment generation on a sector which itself is struggling for survival due to non-payment of its legitimate SEHAT dues for 8–10 months," the association added.
The JKPHDA appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the Chief Minister to release pending SEHAT payments of private hospitals immediately, make NAPS implementation voluntary and need-based in the health sector as originally envisaged in 2015, and advertise the 40,000 vacant regular posts so that youth get permanent employment rather than a 6-month stipend.
"We hope the government will look into the genuine difficulties of the health sector, which is providing 70 per cent of SEHAT care in J&K," the association said—(KNO)