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Himachal Pradesh govt stops non-practicing allowance to doctors
According to the decision, NPA will not be paid to the doctors recruited in the health, animal husbandry and ayurveda departments in the state in future
The Himachal government has stopped the non-practicing allowance (NPA) given to doctors. Following the decision of the cabinet, the finance department has issued a notification to stop the NPA.
According to the decision, NPA will not be paid to the doctors recruited in the health, animal husbandry and ayurveda departments in the state in future.
The decision will result in financial loss to the doctors, but saving to the state exchequer. It is believed that the government has taken this decision for the purpose of raising resources.
Along with the health department in the state, doctors working in animal husbandry and AYUSH department get NPA. Doctors cannot practice in private hospitals after taking NPA. Earlier, doctors used to get 25% NPA of basic pay, but after the implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission, the NPA had been reduced to 20%. The government has been paying NPA to doctors for years. Doctors’ DA as well as pension was calculated after adding NPA to the basic pay.
Meanwhile, doctors have started opposing the decision. Dr Jeevanand Chauhan, former president of the Himachal Medical Association, says that this decision of the government is completely impractical. Along with other Congress-ruled states of the country, NPA payments are also being made in states ruled by BJP and other parties. He said the government should reconsider the decision.
Expressing surprise over the decision of the government, he said the bureaucracy is forcing the government to take such decisions. First a decision was taken to constitute the Himachal Pradesh Medical Service Corporation in the health department, the formation of which will delay the procurement process. Delay in the purchase of medicines will cause problems to the patients.
