Allowance not paid, medical officers fume in Patiala

Patiala, January 24

Medical officers enrolled in postgraduate courses at Government Medical College Patiala said that the Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) was not being paid to them. This stands in contrast to their counterparts at Government Medical College, Amritsar, who have been receiving the allowance, they said.

The Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association organised a meeting with Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh to address the problem. The medical officers said that despite promises from the Health Minister, there has been no progress in ensuring the payment so far.

One of the affected officers, Dr Mehtab, said that this discrepancy has led to a reduction in the salaries of medical officers. He added that this inequality raises concerns about the system and highlights the need for a resolution to ensure equitable remuneration for all PCMS medical officers across various institutions.

The district president of the association, Dr Harinder Gill, said that the affected medical officers and the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association have been urging the department to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

He added that timely redressal of this problem is crucial to upholding the morale and dedication of healthcare professionals working in government institutions.