At a time the Oommen Chandy
government has come out with various measures to tide over the present
financial crisis, the extension of
service of as many as 50 doctors in the Health Service by six months is alleged
to be draining the state exchequer.
The government is paying out a
crore per month for the doctors who are at the verge of retirement and who are
on extended service when hundreds of doctors are in waiting in the PSC list,
which has been pending for a long time.
Those who are at the verge of
retirement and the others whose extension period is almost over draws a salary of about Rs
1.50 to Rs 1.75 lakh per month, which means that the state pays out about Rs 75
lakh to Rs 80 lakh. When these doctors are paid such a huge amount, the entry
level salary is Rs 40,000.
Officials point out that it is
a paradox that the service of the doctors, who are paid highly, are being
extended even when the government is talking of bold steps to tide over the
financial crisis. The government had
even hiked water charges and removed the existing caps on stamp duty and
registration fee, thereby projecting an additional revenue of more than Rs
2,000 crore. Though the salary that is given to the doctors when their service
is extended is minimal, it can also add to the revenue of the state, they
added.
They also noted that there was
no justification in extending the service of the doctors at a time when the
government is for stringent measures to tide over the crisis. Even it was
decided that the ministers would not take 20 per cent of their salary until the end of this fiscal.
Restrictions have also been imposed on foreign trips of ministers.
Source: the New Indian Express
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