Rural service not must for doctors now

​Hyderabad: Giving its nod to the much-awaited demand of the medicine Post Graduate students, the State Legislative Assembly on Saturday did away with the compulsory rural practice clause for the purpose of registering as the medical practitioners.

Moving the Bill in the Assembly, Health Minister Dr C Laxma Reddy said similar conditions imposed for MBBS degree holders were also lifted as the one-year compulsory rural service failed to achieve its objective.

Responding to BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy, TDP MLA S Veeraiah and others’ views, the Health Minister said the rural service condition was imposed to ensure medical care by qualified doctors to the rural people. But, they have not been showing interest to work in the rural areas. 

Moreover, states across the country have removed such provisions as it failed to fulfil the intended objective.
However, the Medical Council of India (MCI) incorporated a new provision of making one year of service mandatory for registration as a medical practitioner. 

Hence, there would not be any problem in removing the provision in the State Act. Further, the government is also contemplating providing a 30 per cent additional increase in the emoluments of those who have completed their graduation basing on the NEET ranks. 

Also, he said the government has been taking necessary steps to attract doctors to the government service, he said adding that the government has already given its nod for recruiting 2,673 doctors. The Assembly also gave its nod to the two amendments to the Telangana Advocates Clerks' Welfare Fund Bill, increasing the contribution and other benefits to the Advocate Clerks and their kith and kin.

Further, a bill to amend the Telangana Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act was also passed. Besides, the House gave its approval to the demands for grants to home, labour and employment, housing, law and endowments, forest and environment, industries and commerce, information technology and communications, public enterprises, Scheduled Tribe Development, tourism, and culture departments.