The Uttarakhand Government is positive towards the demand of giving the benefit of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) to doctors of the state government, said Health and family welfare minister Surendra Singh while talking with The Pioneer on Thursday.
The doctors of the medical health department of state are consistent in their demand for implementation of DACP for them. The DACP if implemented would give the benefit of assured increase in the grade pay of the doctors after 4, 9, 13 and 20 years of the service irrespective of whether they get promotions or not.
The Health and family welfare minister said that he personally believes that in larger interest of the state the doctors can be given the benefit of DACP. “The Central Government implemented this scheme for the allopathic doctors in the year 2005, due to which the problem of shortage of doctors in remote areas in central government services was solved, the state of Uttarakhand faces similar situation of absence of doctors in mountainous areas. The doctors can be attracted in the state health services by implementation of DACP on the lines of central government”, he said.
The doctors believe that DACP if implemented would attract the new medical graduates in the health services of state. The former President of Provincial Medical and Health Services (PMHS), Dr BC Ramola said that the disinterest of young medicos in the health services can be gauzed from the fact that only 68 doctors appeared against total 550 posts in the last recruitment drive by the Public Service Commission.
He said that certain elements are spreading the false notion that if the government succumbs to the demand of DACP than similar demands would be raised by others.The PMHS is up in arms on the demand of DACP. The organisation of doctors has from time to time asserted itself by observing protests on the issue. The PMHS had even called a strike from September 22 to press for its demand but postponed its plan on the assurance of Health Minister.