Srinagar, Nov 7 (KNS): In a significant decision for contractual healthcare workers across Jammu and Kashmir, the National Health Mission (NHM) has sanctioned a five per cent annual increment for eligible contractual employees for the financial year 2026-27, with the financial benefit to be extended in three phases depending on the completion of qualifying service.

According to an order, the increment will cover eligible contractual employees working at the state, divisional, district and block levels, including those engaged under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) and various Disease Control Programmes.

The order outlines a three-tier implementation schedule, allowing employees who have already completed the prescribed service period to receive the increment retrospectively.

As per the order, contractual employees who completed one year of service on or before March 31, 2026, will be entitled to the five per cent increment with effect from April 1, 2026.

Similarly, employees completing one year of service between April 1 and September 30, 2026, will receive the increment from October 1, 2026.

Those completing their first year of service after September 30, 2026, will become eligible for the increment from April 1, 2027.

The Mission Director has made it clear that the increment will not be automatic and will remain subject to satisfactory performance, completion of qualifying service and fulfilment of the conditions prescribed under the applicable NHM guidelines.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The order directs all concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) and Controlling Officers to ensure that the increment is extended only to eligible contractual employees after proper verification of their service records and performance.

The decision follows approval of the NHM State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP) for 2026-27 by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 19, 2026.

It is also based on the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of the State Health Society, NHM J&K, issued on July 18, 2026, and a subsequent administrative department order dated November 6, 2026.

The decision covers eligible contractual manpower deployed across different levels of the NHM healthcare delivery system, including personnel associated with urban healthcare services and disease control initiatives.

Importantly, the implementation schedule provides retrospective financial benefits to employees who fulfilled the qualifying service requirement before March 31, while those completing the prescribed service period subsequently will receive the increment from their respective notified dates.

The NHM administration has directed the concerned authorities to strictly adhere to the eligibility criteria and applicable guidelines while processing the increment, ensuring that the benefit reaches qualifying contractual employees across Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS)