Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: The Tripura cabinet has approved a proposal barring faculty members and medical officers of the state-run Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital from private practice in exchange for a 20 per cent increase in basic pay as non-practising allowance, minister Sushanta Chowdhury said on Tuesday.
GB Pant hospital and Agartala Government Medical College are the prime referral tertiary care health facility of the state which has been providing medical care in various speciality and superspeciality disciplines at a very negligible to free cost.
Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Tripura Cabinet spokesperson and minister Sushanta Chowdhury said the decision would initially apply to faculty members and medical officers serving at the AGMC and GB Pant Hospital.
“Faculty members and medical officers working in AGMC and GB Pant Hospital will not be able to engage in private practice. They will receive a 20 per cent increase on their basic pay as a non-practising allowance,” Chowdhury said.
He said a notification in this regard would be issued by the government.
According to the minister, Chief Minister Manik Saha and the health secretary had held consultations with various doctors’ organisations before the proposal was placed before the cabinet.
A similar proposal had earlier been placed before the council of ministers a few months ago but was deferred following queries raised by some ministers, he said.
The proposal was again moved by the health secretary at the cabinet meeting held on Monday and received the approval of all ministers, including the chief minister, Chowdhury added.
Officials said around 350 doctors would come under the purview of the decision.
“This decision will have a binding effect and those who are not willing to comply with it may voluntarily quit their service,” the Minister explained.
In another decision, the cabinet approved filling up 186 posts of Junior Multi-Tasking Officer through the Joint Recruitment Board of Tripura (JRBT) under Group C (Non-Gazetted) category.
The recruitment process for the posts will be conducted through the JRBT, according to the minister.