From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 7: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar took time to meet the striking Contract and Outsourcing employees of the Health Department and promised to strive for extending health insurance cover and wage revision.

The minister visited the striking employees near the Freedom Park in the city on Thursday.

``The State Government will try to meet the demands of the striking employees as far as possible and implement the recommendations of the Srinivasachary committee report,’’ he said.

The Contract and Outsourcing employees are demanding that they should be paid on par with the government employees. But there are various problems as State and Central governments are implementing 49 programmes with a limited time span. In view of this, it is not possible to concede the demand to regularise their services. ``However, we will try to revise the pay,’’ he promised.

The striking employees are also demanding that they should be provided with health insurance and 10-days paid leave, which would be positively considered, he said. The minister appealed to the striking employees to consider the limitations and problems in accepting their demands and resume duty as the public at large depend on the State Government’s health services.