The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Specialty cadre for government doctors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 10, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Specialty cadre for government doctors

Special Correspondent

It will be implemented with retrospective effect from April, says Sreemathy

Sixty-six new posts to be created
Government rules out pay scale revision

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has decided to form specialty/ administrative cadre for government doctors with retrospective effect from April, Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy has said.

The Minister told mediapersons here on Friday that 50 posts of senior medical consultants and 16 posts of chief medical consultants would be created in the specialty cadre.

The government also decided to increase the allowances of doctors but pay scale revision had not been considered.

Additional burden

The government would have to bear additional burden of around Rs.25 crore annually for hiking the allowances.

Specialty units will be formed at all government hospitals which have more than 100 beds.

In addition to the Health Director’s post, the four cadre in the department are assistant surgeon, civil surgeon, deputy director and additional director. Equivalent to these posts, junior medical consultant, medical consultant, senior medical consultant and chief medical consultant will be formed in the specialty cadre.

Options for doctors

On completing probation, doctors can opt for specialty/ administrative cadre.

Placement will be made to the cadre after fixing the seniority as per the special rules.

Those who do not get a placement will continue in the general cadre.

Post renamed

The post of assistant surgeon at the entry cadre will be renamed assistant medical officer and civil surgeon medical superintendent, assistant director or medical officer. Seniority list will be prepared on April 1 and all those who qualify between January 1 and December 31 in the previous year can opt for specialty or administrative cadre.

Placement will be made on the available vacancies. Special rules will be amended in consultation with the departments and organisations concerned. Promotions will be according to the special rules. If there are no vacancies, doctors in these cadre will be eligible for time bound grade promotions now being given after completing eight years and 16 years of service.

As many as 951 posts of junior medical consultants and 603 posts of medical consultants posts will come into force in specialty and administrative cadre.

Allowances revised

The allowance of junior medical consultant is fixed at Rs.1,260, medical consultant Rs.1,665, senior medical consultant Rs.2,320 and chief medical consultant Rs.2,540.

The post-graduate allowance of doctors taking diploma or degree is revised from Rs.460 to Rs.1,380 and Rs.610 to 1,830 respectively. Doctors working in ‘medically underserved stations’ will be eligible for a monthly allowance of Rs.3,300 instead of the Rs.1,650 given for those working in rural areas.

The special allowance of those working in ‘difficult rural areas’ is revised from Rs.3,300 to Rs.5,000.

The compensatory allowance for doctors working in primary and community health centres who have to manage the health programmes in addition to their routine work is hiked to Rs.900 per month.A sum of Rs.150 will be given as special allowance for doctors working in the casualty of taluk district and general hospitals for a day’s duty.

Maximum limit

The maximum limit for a doctor in this regard is capped at Rs.2,000. The non-practicing allowance of doctors holding administrative posts will be increased from Rs.3,000 to Rs.5,000.

SIM cards will be provided to all doctors so that their services can be made use for an emergency.

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