Himachal Pradesh abolishes NPA for doctors, Rollback demanded

Shimla: The newly appointed government doctors in Himachal Pradesh will not receive Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) anymore as the State Government on Thursday announced its decision to terminate it.

Issuing an official notification in this regard, the State Government has clarified that newly recruited doctors across departments, including Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Dental, Ayush, and Animal Husbandry will not be entitled to NPA.

“The Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) will not be admissible to all doctors recruited henceforth in Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Dental, Ayush and Animal Husbandry departments of the state government,” the official notification stated.

The announcement drew a sharp reaction from medical and veterinary associations, who termed it “anti-people” and demanded that the notification be withdrawn, adds PTI.

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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, a notification in this regard was issued by the finance department on Wednesday. Later, the decision was approved on May 17 in the cabinet meeting. Officials informed that the State has taken this decision while taking into consideration about the number of available doctors in the State against the vacancies, which are less.

The Daily adds that the State had modified the NPA entitlement for the categories of doctors in the health and family welfare, medical education, ayush and animal husbandry departments back on January 3.

While commenting on the matter, the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department, Maneesh Garg informed TOI that partially modifying the notification issued on January 3 and March 2 last year, NPA will not be admissible for all the newly appointed doctors.

Meanwhile, the medical fraternity in the State is not happy with the decision and the Himachal Pradesh Association has described the decision as "anti-people". 

Issuing a statement in this regard, the association said that the duties of doctors are different from duties discharged by employees of other departments as they serve the patients by risking their own lives and had demonstrated their loyalty to the patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Himachal Pradesh Veterinary Officers Association demanded that the government withdraw the notification. This decision is not in the interest of veterinarians. Resentment among veterinarians would affect the entire animal husbandry sector and harm the interests of farmers, said Dr Neeraj Mohan and Dr Madhur Gupta, president and general secretary of Himachal Pradesh Veterinary Officers Association, respectively.

The state government had earlier reduced the NPA from 25 per cent to 20 per cent of the basic pay and now the NPA is being denied to future doctors, they said.

PTI adds that BJP has also criticized the Himachal Pradesh government over its decision to abolish Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) for doctors, saying it is “anti-people” and it has demanded that the Congress dispensation withdraw the decision.

Addressing reporters, state BJP spokesperson Randhir Sharma said a reduction in doctors’ salaries would impact the health system as it would discourage people from taking up government jobs.

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