Patiala, May 16 -- The Punjab government is considering a proposal to allow regular government medical specialists to work beyond official duty hours and earn additional remuneration amid growing resentment among state doctors over hefty payouts to privately empanelled specialists. The move is also expected to include incentives for government specialists under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, the state's flagship health insurance scheme. Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh confirmed that the government was actively working on a framework to financially incentivise regular specialists for additional work. "We are planning to pay them extra if they work beyond their duties. They can perform surgeries and attend patients after their work and they will get paid. We are ready to pay them extra for their work," the minister told HT. The proposal comes in the backdrop of mounting criticism from the Punjab Civil Services Medical Association (PCSMA), which has objected to what it termed as "exorbitantlyhigh" salaries being paid to privately empanelled medical specialists. According to the association, some private specialists are earning over Rs.5 lakh per month - exceeding the salaries of even senior-most bureaucrats in the state. In a memorandum submitted to the Punjab health department, the PCSMA stated that the remuneration being paid to empanelled private specialists was two to three times higher than the entry-level pay scale of regular government specialists. The state government, however, defended the engagement of private specialists, saying they were appointed in areas where regular specialists were either unavailable or unwilling to join duty. "We have hired private medical specialists in areas and centres where we didn't find regular medical specialists or they refused to join duty," said Dr Balbir Singh. The minister further justified the high payouts by claiming that empanelled private specialists respond to emergency calls and provide patient care in underserved areas. However, several government doctors have sharply contested this claim. A senior medical official in the health department alleged that many empanelled specialists were avoiding critical medico-legal responsibilities. "To shirk responsibility, these empanelled doctors are not giving medical opinions required for various purposes such as medico-legal cases, dope tests and medical certificates despite being available at the centres. Consequently, we have to refer such cases to centres where regular specialists are posted," the official said. Another official alleged that some private specialists followed irregular schedules and failed to respond during emergencies. "They come and go at their own will. They do not respond to medical emergencies. We demand equal work and equal pay," the official added. Government specialists have also pointed out that earlier they were compensated through rural and conveyance allowances, many of which are no longer available in the same form. The health department has asked the PCSMA to formally submit a proposal suggesting ways to structure incentives for regular specialists. PCSMA president Dr Akhil Sarin welcomed the government's initiative, calling it a long-pending demand of government doctors. "It is a welcome move, as it will incentivise PCMS doctors who put in extra efforts over and above their stipulated duty-hour benchmarks," said Dr Sarin. He said the association was already in discussions with the health minister regarding incentives linked to Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana and similar insurance-based healthcare schemes. "In principle, the government has agreed to incentivise doctors during the last meeting. We have already been asked to submit a proposal regarding the same for subsequent approval," he added....