Himachal govt restores Non-Practicing Allowance for super-specialist medical faculty
Shimla, July 1
In a significant relief for super-specialist doctors serving in government medical institutions, the Himachal Pradesh Government has restored the Non-Practicing Allowance for eligible faculty members under the Department of Medical Education and Research.
The decision was notified by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh through an official order issued on Wednesday, making the benefit effective immediately.
According to the notification, the restored NPA will be admissible to faculty members who possess or have acquired recognised super-speciality qualifications, including Doctor of Medicine (DM), Magister Chirurgiae (M.Ch.), and Doctorate of National Board (DrNB) in the relevant disciplines from recognised universities or the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS).
The government stated that the allowance will be paid at the rates and under the terms and conditions that were in force prior to the Finance Department's notification dated May 24, 2023, effectively restoring the earlier NPA benefits for eligible faculty.
The notification further said that the restoration has been approved by the Finance Department and will remain in force with immediate effect until further orders, in the larger public interest.
The decision was issued with the prior concurrence of the Finance Department vide communication dated July 1, 2026, and approval of the competent authority.
The order has been signed by the Special Secretary (Health) to the Government of Himachal Pradesh and circulated to the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Principal Accountant General (A&E), Director of Medical Education and Research, Capital Treasury Officer, and the principals of all government medical and dental colleges in the state for immediate implementation.
The restoration of the NPA is expected to benefit super-specialist faculty members working in government medical colleges and strengthen efforts to retain highly qualified medical professionals in the state's public healthcare and medical education institutions.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, the government listened to the doctors. It's ridiculous how they stopped the NPA in the first place - these are the people who train our future doctors and save lives. Hope other states take note. 👍
Good decision, but what about the common patients? We still face long queues and lack of specialists in rural areas. Restoring NPA is fine, but we need more focus on healthcare infrastructure for the public. 😕
As a taxpayer, I'm happy if this means better healthcare in government hospitals. But let's see if this actually stops the brain drain of specialists from Himachal to private hospitals or other states. Actions speak louder than press releases!
Excellent news for medical education in Himachal! Doctors with DM, M.Ch degrees are rare gems in government service. This move will definitely encourage more super-specialists to join and stay in public healthcare. Well done, CM Sukhu! 👏
While I appreciate the decision, I wish the government would also consider the common man's burden. Medical inflation is sky high, and while doctors get their NPA back, patients still struggle with costly treatments. Need a balanced approach. 🙂
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.