Government Announces Incentives for Medical Professionals to Work in Rural Areas

The Government of India has taken various measures to provide monetary and non- monetary incentives to attract skilled medical and para medical professionals to work in rural areas. These include:

Monetary incentives under NRHM for both regular, adhoc and contractual staff posted in hard to reach and difficult areas.

The Central Government in consultation with the Medical Council of India, has made the following amendments to its PG Medical Education Regulations to encourage doctors to serve in rural areas :

• 50 % reservation in PG Diploma courses for Medical Officers in the Governmentservice who served for at least three consecutive years in remote and difficult areas ; 

•  Incentive at rate of 10 % of the marks obtained for each year in service in remote or difficult areas upto the maximum of 30 % of the marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions in PG Medical course.

Improved accommodation for healthcare personnel has been provided through NRHM at many rural facilities. Also health facilities have been upgraded and better equipped.

This information was given by Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in reply to a question on shortage of medical and paramedical staff in the rural areas in Rajya Sabha on 27th March.

Augmentation of human resource is one of the thrust areas under National Rural Health Mission [NRHM] : 2914 Specialists, 8722 Doctors, 10995 AYUSH Doctors, 33411 Staff Nurses, 69662 ANMs, 14529 Para Medics and 3894 AYUSH Para Medics have been engaged on contractual basis to increase the availability in the rural areas.

Various reasons attributed for shortage include non availability of requisite number of doctors and paramedics, shortage of medical colleges and training institutes and unwillingness on the part of doctors to work in rural areas.