Mumbai: Community health officials posted in rural areas of Maharashtra will go on a strike on Wednesday for various demands including a permanent government job, sources said on Tuesday. Their other demands include a reduction in workload, allotment of wages on time and insurance by the state government.

Community health officers (CHOs) work in rural areas at primary health centres. They are currently working on a contract. Although their contracts get renewed, CHOs have now demanded to make them permanent employees of the state government, sources said.

The one-day strike will affect the basic check-up of patients for cold, cough, fever and routine maternal visits that are scheduled for Wednesday, a government doctor said.

“The state government used to give a 5 per cent increase in monthly wages every year to CHOs but it is not implemented since 2017. The government should clear those dues,” he said, adding they want to be inducted as permanent employees of the government and given a “B’ grade pay scale.