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Doctors may get `hard duty' allowance

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has announced that a policy for payment of "hard duty'' allowance to doctors and para-medical staff working in remote areas would be formulated soon as part of an attractive incentive package for them.

This step would strengthen health care services in the State, said Ms. Raje while presiding over a review meeting of the Medical and Health Department here on Tuesday. "A robust health care framework is an important indicator of development of the State. The people at the tail-end should be provided medical facilities of good quality,'' she said. Ms. Raje said new institutions would be developed at the panchayat samiti level to render health facilities to the rural populace and gave instructions for creation of new posts for the purpose. Medical and Health Minister Digambar Singh was present in the meeting.

The Chief Minister said a health insurance scheme would be implemented as a pilot project in four districts in association with the World Bank and the Health System Development Project. Though the main beneficiaries of the scheme will be those belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families, the patients above the poverty line would also be included.

Another pilot project will be the Swasthya Sakhi Yojana involving the appointment of a woman health worker for every 250 people in Jhalawar, Barmer, Sikar, Bharatpur and Banswara districts.

Ms. Raje underlined the need to strengthen the Medical Department's Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Bureau, saying the benefits of various schemes could be extended to the target groups only when the latter were aware of them. A health campaign with this objective will be launched in November with the participation of elected representatives.

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