Super-speciality doctors in Himachal to receive non-practising allowance

Himachal Pradesh is rolling out a Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) for its super-speciality doctors, a fresh move announced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday, June 19, 2026. This decision is a direct bid to beef up healthcare services, luring and keeping highly qualified medical professionals within the state's public health system. It signals a strategic shift aimed at addressing the persistent challenge of specialist shortages and ensuring advanced medical care is accessible locally. The timing of this announcement is critical, coming after years of grappling with significant doctor shortages and an exodus of talent from Himachal's public hospitals, particularly in super-specialised fields. Just recently in April 2026, reports highlighted that nearly 376 out of 751 sanctioned specialist posts remained vacant across the state's six medical colleges, underscoring a dire need for incentives. This new NPA policy also marks a notable adjustment, as the government had previously moved to restrict or withdraw NPA for new recruits in May 2023 and formally barred government doctors from private practice in February 2026, aiming to enforce stricter service conditions. Looking ahead, CM Sukhu has committed to personally visiting various health institutions in the coming months, engaging directly with doctors to chart out a future roadmap for continuous improvement. The state is already investing approximately Rs 3,000 crore to upgrade medical colleges to the standards of AIIMS, enhance facilities at zonal and regional hospitals, and push for more robotic surgery capabilities. This comprehensive approach, combining financial incentives with infrastructural and technological advancements, is geared towards making Himachal Pradesh a self-sufficient hub for advanced medical treatment, reducing the need for patients to seek costly care outside the state.