Now Reading: Himachal hikes contract doctors’ pay by 78%
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Himachal hikes contract doctors’ pay by 78%
The Himachal Pradesh government has approved a 78% salary hike for contract and trainee medical officers, raising their monthly pay from Rs 33,660 to Rs 60,000 under the 7th Pay Commission. This…
The Story in Brief
The Himachal Pradesh government has approved a 78% salary hike for contract and trainee medical officers, raising their monthly pay from Rs 33,660 to Rs 60,000 under the 7th Pay Commission. This is the second increase after a 24% rise in 2022. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said healthcare and education are the state's highest priorities, and the hike aims to attract specialists to government hospitals, especially in remote areas.
The government also raised monthly stipends for PG medical students by Rs 10,000-20,000 across years, and for senior residents and specialist doctors by 50-170%, now up to Rs 1.30 lakh for super specialists. Sukhu added that the state is reviewing pending dearness allowance and arrears for employees and pensioners, and has directed the finance department to release deferred salaries next month.
The Indian Opinion
This salary hike is welcome for doctors in a state with chronic staff shortages, but the narrative that it is a simple pro-health measure ignores Himachal's strained finances. The same government recently deferred salaries and is still reviewing DA arrears. A 78% jump will test whether the state can sustain such spending without cutting other essentials. The real test: will the treasury avoid another salary deferral by the end of this fiscal year?
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
