Tripura Chief Minister Pushes to End Private Practice for Government Doctors

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha wants doctors at Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital to quit private practice. He spoke Saturday at a National Doctors Day event in Agartala. The push aims to turn the facility into a top-tier medical hub.

Saha, who runs the health department, cited a new deal with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. This agreement demands the end of outside work for government medical staff. Saha said, "The government was not seeking a confrontation with the medical fraternity." He promised to review feedback from doctor groups before starting the policy.

The plan faces heat from opposition parties and local unions. The All Tripura Government Doctors Association and the AGMC Teachers Forum want better promotion rules and pay structures first. They refuse to drop private work without these changes.

Saha pointed to similar bans in Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh. He offered a non-practising allowance worth 20 percent of basic pay to soften the blow. This follows Seventh Central Pay Commission rules. He noted the allowance could climb once the Eighth Central Pay Commission starts.