Chennai, Oct 10 (IANS): The 'Makkalai Thedi Marthuvum' (Health to Door Steps) scheme workers of Tamil Nadu have requested the state government to provide them performance based incentives in tune with a government order of 2022.

The office of the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine have issued an order on July 19, 2022 that had assured incentives to MTM workers.

The CPI(M) affiliated, Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leadership have taken up the matter with the state government. CITU Thoothukudi district secretary, Petchimuthu told media persons that the government had assured to provide an incentive of Rs 2000 but has not yet sanctioned it.

Petchimuthu, while speaking to media persons said, "The MTM workers have to work on holidays and are doing a huge service and play a great role in preventing the spread of endemic and seasonal diseases. They have to work even on holidays and are getting a meager salary."

He called upon the government and Department of Public Health to release a work schedule and to ensure that the job of these workers is respectable. He also said that the salaries of MTM workers was not credited on time and appealed to the government to rectify this and to credit salaries on time.

Notably, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvum is a flagship scheme of the Tamil Nadu government offering a holistic and comprehensive set of home based health care services to meet the health need of the beneficiaries.

It provides screening for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) as well as Palliative Care Services, Physiotherapy services and Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) services.

The scheme was launched on August 5, 2021 by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin immediately after he assumed office in May 2021.

This is touted as one of the most important social welfare projects of the state government.