CHANDIGARH, Nov 28— The Punjab government on Friday approved a plan to bring 300 private specialist doctors into the public health system as hospitals continue to struggle with staff shortages. Each empanelled doctor will be paid Rs 100 per patient for treating OPD and IPD cases.
Limits have also been set: 50–150 patients in OPD and 2–20 patients in IPD per doctor.
Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said the measure aims to relieve pressure on government hospitals. “Any doctor on night duty who is called during the day will get Rs 1,000 for that visit, and vice-versa,” he said.
Cheema noted that the chief minister has directed officers to design an incentive policy for border-area postings. “People avoid those postings. We want to make sure health and education services reach the last mile,” he said.
Other cabinet decisions include amending the Societies Registration Act, 1860, enabling the government to appoint cooperative society in-charges, rolling out GPS-based tracking for vehicles transporting minor minerals, and redistributing the powers of delegate and appellate authorities in the cooperative department.
