BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to constitute a committee to look into the demands of Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA).

This was decided after a discussion of Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling with the members of OMSA here on Thursday.

The association of government doctors had threatened to halt OPD services and works related to National Health Mission (NHM) for at least one hour every day from Friday to press for their long-standing demands.

OMSA members have been demanding remuneration at par with the central government pay scale with abolition of level-15 as followed for other class-I officers of the Odisha government without any precondition, proportionate cadre restructuring of all grades, incremental incentives for super specialists, specialists, diploma-holding administrators along with postmortem allowance and equal benefits to OMHS and OMES cadres.

They have also demanded implementation of exit policy for doctors who have worked for over three years in Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) and KBK-plus regions as well as tribal sub-plan areas.

The Health minister discussed with OMSA members following the direction of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in view of the importance of health services. “After the discussion, the minister informed that a committee will be formed to examine the demands. He also urged the association members to refrain from resorting to

agitation,” said a health official. OMSA members, however, said they will continue to halt OPD services for an hour from Friday.