Poor pay may see doctors desert government hospitals

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The Hindu

Non- Practising Allowance is given to doctors in States, where private practice along with government service is not allowed.

7th Pay Commission’s recommendations have been flayed by FORDA

Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has strongly opposed the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission on reducing the percentage of Non- Practising Allowance (NPA) from 25 to 20 per cent.

Calling this pay commission particularly discriminating to doctors Dr. Pankaj Solanki, president FORDA said: "The move will be a great blow on the retention of good doctors in government sector.’’

NPA is given to doctors in States, where private practice along with government service is not allowed.

"The 6th Pay Commission put NPA for doctors as part of basic salary and it was 25 per cent of basic salary. With the 7th Pay Commission the percentage has been reduced to 20 per cent of basic salary. Also with this commission’s recommendation NPA shall be treated as a separate allowance. This makes the final salary of the doctors lower than expected,’’ explained FORDA in their release.

FORDA also pointed out that there is over 50 per cent difference in the pay of a government doctor and a private one.

“The gap is only widening,” said Dr. Solanki.

"For example, the pay of an assistant professor at the Government Medical College in Delhi starts with Rs 85,000 p.m, while the pay of a junior consultant ( equivalent in degree and position ) in a private hospital in Delhi is Rs 2- 2.5 lakh. With this pay commission, there will be a higher discrepancy between government and private doctors,’’ said Dr. Ravinder Chauhan, general secretary, FORDA explained.

Members of FORDA maintained that they strongly reject this pay commission report on behalf of the medical profession, as it is strongly discriminatory in its recommendations and has got no visionary approach and shall cause strong deficit in quality of services and cause administrative difficulties.

Dr. Solanki noted that recommendations are against the interest of the medical profession. FORDA had demanded that NPA should be raised to 40 per cent.

Varied treatment	Government sector	Private sector
Entry level	Rs 85,000/pm	Rs 1.30-40 lakh
Junior sepcialist	Rs 85,000/pm (starting to one lakh plus)	Rs 1.75 lakh
Senior specialist	Rs 1.05 lakh (starting)	Rs 2 lakh plus