New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to dissolve National Institute of Miners’ Health (NIMH), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Mines (MoM) and merge / amalgamate with ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) with all assets and liabilities; and absorb all the employees of NIMH in NIOH in the similar post/pay scale as the case may be and their pay be protected. NIMH, ICMR, NIOH, MoM and Department of Health Research (DHR), MoH&FW to take actions required for effecting dissolution and merger/amalgamation of NIMH with NIOH.
Impact:
The merger / amalgamation of NIMH with NIOH will prove beneficial to both the Institutes in term of enhanced expertise in the field of occupational health besides the efficient management of public money.
Background:
NIMH was set up by Government of India in 1990 and registered as a Society under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. The registered office of NIMH is located at Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka and the Central Laboratory in Nagpur. The Institute conducts applied research in occupational health and hygiene and specializes in providing technical support services to mining and mineral based industry with special reference to metalliferous sector and endeavors for safe mines and healthy miners through research & development.
The focus areas of NIOH include a vast array of areas related to occupational health which also includes, occupational medicine and occupational hygiene. In the context of review of working and performance of autonomous institutes, Expenditure Management Commission recommended, inter-alia, that- “Organisations with similar objectives can be considered for merger to encourage synergy in operations and reduction in cost”. Accordingly, recommended merger of NIMH with NIOH.
