Tripura bars private practice, grants 20 percent NPA to AGMC, GBP Hospital Doctors
Private Practice Banned
Agartala: The Tripura Cabinet has decided to bar faculty members of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and medical officers of Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital from engaging in private practice, announced Cabinet Spokesperson and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury.
According to Chowdhury, the move is intended to ensure that doctors and faculty members dedicate their full professional attention to government healthcare institutions and improve the quality of care provided to the public. The decision will initially be implemented only at AGMC and GB Pant Hospital.
“Faculty members and medical officers at AGMC and GB Hospital are not permitted to engage in private practice. If someone voluntarily declares that they will only engage in private practice and will not continue their job at GB, they are free to resign. That is their choice. However, they cannot engage in private practice while holding a government position,” Chowdhury said, reports Northeast Today.
In exchange, the state government has approved a 20 percent Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) on their basic salary.
Chowdhury clarified that the Cabinet decision will be implemented through an official notification. Once the Cabinet minutes are issued and the notification is published in the official gazette, the order will come into effect immediately.
The minister noted that the proposal had been under consideration for several months and had been discussed with doctors’ associations before being placed before the Cabinet. It was approved under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manik Saha. “Earlier, there were departmental decisions, but this time it is a proper Cabinet decision. The decision has been taken under the leadership of the Honourable Chief Minister,” Chowdhury said.
He further noted that similar systems are already in place in premier medical institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and in several other states. Inputs from AIIMS representatives and recommendations from the Sixteenth Finance Commission were also considered during the decision-making process.
The minister added that while infrastructure at GBP Hospital is being upgraded, concerns regarding patient satisfaction in public healthcare services persist. The government views this policy as a step toward improving accountability and service delivery in state-run hospitals.
According to PTI, Chowdhury said the faculty members and medical officers of the state-run hospital have the liberty to resign if they want to continue to attend private clinics.
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