Medicos in Punjab to intensify their protest if govt fails to address their grievances -PSMDTA
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
“Punjab State Medical & Dental Teachers Association (PSMDTA) is going to intensify its protest after July 20 as deadline to accept our genuine demands and the state government will be directly responsible for disturbance in patient care and students teaching” warn the Govt Medical and Dental Teachers Association.
During the press conference, the teacher’s association clarified on the Irrational Reduction and Misconception about NPA . Dr Vijay Kumar, acting President ,Dr DS Bhullar, General secretary, PSMDTA, Patiala unit , along with other doctors said:-
- NPA is a misnomer and cannot be related with private practice by government doctors.
- NPA was started by GoI to encourage allopathic doctors to join government service instead of opting for practice in private setup, by giving extra salary in the form of NPA, as a dire need in the interest of needy people availing medical services in government hospitals.
- Under service rules, a government doctor cannot do private practice even if he is not paid NPA. The government doctor is on government duty 24 X 7 and cannot do any other business except the departmental duties.
- Giving medical services, care and advice to needy patients anywhere apart from workplace without charging is not a bar on government doctors.
- There is no mention anywhere in the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission Report that NPA is given to the government doctors in lieu of the fact that they are not allowed private practice.
- In the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission Report (7.26 – Chapter 7 page No. 83) there is clear cut mention of the reason why NPA is given to the government doctors, which is as under:
– NPA was started by GoI and subsequently State governments followed suit primarily to retain doctors in the public service and to halt the exodus of medical professionals from the country.
– The other reason given was that the doctors need to be compensated for longer duration of studies and internship, because of which they usually are late entrants in government service.
Hence, PSMDTA has demanded to change the term NPA to Compensatory Pay as per above mentioned reason in 6PPC report.
Further, NPA is paid to doctors to compensate for much longer duration of studies, longer working hours / arduous nature of their duties and to compensate for the relatively less promotional prospects. The rate of NPA granted to doctors has dwindled to present level of 20 % from earlier higher rates of 50% and 30% and then 25% of basic pay.
- Reduction of NPA from 25% to 20%:
6PPC has followed 7CPC and reduced NPA from 25 to 20 percent with reasons as explained in 7CPC report. But this formula has only been applied to the NPA of government doctors and hence not acceptable.
- Delinking of NPA from Basic Pay:
7CPC has not delinked NPA from Basic Pay for the purpose of calculation of Dearness Allowance and Pension benefits but for HRA. On the contrary, 6PPC has totally delinked NPA from Basic Pay and hence not acceptable.
Supreme Court of India in case of K.C. Bajaj and Others versus Union of India and Others (decided on November 27, 2013) has decided that NPA is a matter of right for government doctor and is a part of the their pay.
- Cherry Picking:
6PPC has done cherry picking in recommendation of financial benefits to doctors by opting 7CPC recommendation suited to Punjab Government but ignoring the ones suited to government doctors.
- Academic Allowance:
Need to be restored and enhanced to Rs. 2500/- on the pattern of 7CPC.
- Covid Warriors feel cheated and backstabbed as instead of encouraging them for working day and night to tackle Covis-19 pandemic risking their own and family lives, they have been compelled to come on roads in protest and discouraged by 6PPC report.
Reduction in NPA from 25 to 20 percent may be looking a small amount by critics but for the government doctors, it is punishment and discouragement instead of awards for Covid duties.
Compared to government doctors, officers of some other departments are putting a huge financial burden on state exchequer but going unnoticed or ignored. A PCS Judicial Officer just on joining government service is provided:
– A Government vehicle with fuel facility
– Government Driver with more than 50, 000 salary
– A gunman with more than 50, 000 salary
– A servant at residence with government salary / perks.
– A cook at home on government salary / perks
– And more facilities with financial implications.
- Our protest will continue till demands are accepted and after July 20 as deadline to accept our genuine demands, the government doctors will intensify their protest and the state government will be directly responsible for disturbance in patient care and students teaching.
Note: By reducing NPA from 25 to 20 percent and de-linking it from Basic Pay, Government will just save just Rs. 20 Crore per annum which is a real meagre amount for the state government but disregard, disrespect and dishonour to the government doctors whom the governments of the day have projected as Covid Warriors with mere lip service.
July 10,2021
