Himachal Pradesh Unveils New Healthcare Incentive Policy
Chief Minister’s Announcement
Shimla: In a significant initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare services and medical education, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced a comprehensive Incentive Policy for doctors. This announcement took place during the annual Stimulus-2025-26 event hosted by the Central Students’ Union of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla.
Performance-Based Benefits for Doctors
The newly implemented policy ties benefits for doctors to their performance and other measurable criteria, with the goal of improving healthcare delivery throughout the state. As part of this initiative, Sukhu announced a substantial increase in monthly stipends for postgraduate resident doctors, set to take effect in the upcoming state budget. The stipends will be Rs 50,000 for the first year, Rs 60,000 for the second year, and Rs 65,000 for the third year.
Adjustments to Working Hours and Stipends
To further support resident doctors, their working hours have been limited to 12 hours per shift. Additionally, the stipends for senior residents will rise from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh, while stipends for super-specialty departments will increase from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.30 lakh.
Investment in Medical Infrastructure
To bolster medical infrastructure, the government has allocated Rs 5 crore for laparoscopic facilities and Rs 6 crore for the Department of Anaesthesia at IGMC. Chief Minister Sukhu instructed authorities to expedite the land transfer process for a new student hostel at IGMC and to ensure the timely relocation of the gynaecology wing from Kamla Nehru Hospital to IGMC.
Advancements in Diagnostic Services
Highlighting the government’s commitment to providing world-class diagnostic services within the state, Sukhu announced plans for five medical colleges to be equipped with advanced medical technology.
Funding for Bone Marrow Transplant Infrastructure
The Chief Minister also revealed an allocation of Rs 5 crore each for developing bone marrow transplant facilities at six prominent medical institutions, including IGMC, AIMSS Chamiyana, Tanda Medical College, LBS Government Medical College Mandi, and Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College Hamirpur. Furthermore, Rs 75 crore has been approved for smart labs at IGMC, Tanda Medical College, and the Super Specialty Hospital at Chamiana, Shimla.
Overall Investment in Healthcare
According to reports from Tribune India, the government has committed to investing over Rs 3,000 crore to enhance healthcare infrastructure and expand modern health services. Sukhu emphasized that the government plans to replace outdated medical equipment, some of which has been in use for over two decades, with modern machinery that meets the standards of AIIMS, Delhi, and PGI, Chandigarh.
Enhancing Medical Education
In efforts to strengthen medical education, the government has increased the number of training seats for B.Sc in Medical Laboratory, Radiology and Imaging, Anaesthesia, and OT Technology from 10 to 50 at IGMC and from 18 to 50 at Tanda Medical College.
Recent Government Investments
Over the past three years, the government has invested Rs 1,207 crore to enhance medical education infrastructure, introduced postgraduate courses in Chamba, Hamirpur, and Nerchowk medical colleges, and established emergency departments in all medical colleges. Additionally, 57 casualty medical officers were directly recruited, and 32 specialist posts were created to enhance emergency services, as reported by TOI.