Rural area cannot be close to city: Madras High Court denies incentive marks to doctor

Chennai: Holding that a rural area cannot be one close to the City, the first bench of the Madras High Court has rejected an appeal from a doctor seeking incentive marks for admission in a post-graduate course on the ground that he was working in a government hospital in a rural area.

The first bench of Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy clarified that the incentive marks have been provided to promote the medical services in certain areas, which include difficult locations in hills, plains, remote and rural areas.

Also Read:Promised Rs 1.21 Lakh state govt incentive denied, COVID warriors protest expressing dissatisfaction

A rural area can not be an area close to the city and in this case, the Medical College and Hospital, where the appellant was working, is located within a radius of 10 km from the city area i.e. the district headquarters of Tiruvarur. If the benefit of the rural area is given to a practitioner serving in the medical college and hospital close to the city, the very purpose of granting incentive marks to serve in the rural area would be defeated. The purpose to grant incentive marks is to encourage practitioners to serve in rural areas and not the areas, which are close to the city or urban areas.

"Therefore, keeping in mind the object sought to be achieved for grant of incentive marks, the Selection Committee has made a recommendation adverse to the Medical College and Hospital in which the writ appellant is serving," the bench said and dismissed the appeal from Dr. R Arunkumar recently.

Originally, Arunkumar filed a writ petition challenging a communication dated December 3 last year of the Selection Committee of the Directorate of Medical Education, denying incentive marks to him pursuant to a GO dated March 6, 2019.

His prayer was to include the Government Tiruvarur Medical College and Hospital located in Thandalai village panchayat under rural area for the award of incentive marks to him. As a single judge rejected his plea, he preferred the present writ appeal.

"We do not find that a case is made out for grant of incentive marks. Rather, it is meant for practitioners who are practicing in rural areas, which are away from the urban areas. In the light of the aforesaid, we do not find a ground to cause interference in the order passed by the single judge," the bench said and dismissed the appeal.

Also Read:Incentive for In-service Doctors is Policy Matter, Cannot Interfere: HC junks plea seeking extension of cut-off date