The Special Committee formulated by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to review Health Professional Allowance issue under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja has recommended provision of Health Professional Allowance to 12 Medical Officers working in Provincial Population Welfare Department who are assigned the job of Vasectomy and other operations connected with reproductive health.
The Committee has also recommended that the Senior Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officer of Population Welfare Department could also be declared eligible for this special allowance amounting to Rs 16 thousand per month. Secretary Population Welfare Punjab Dr Ismat Tahira informed the committee that the Punjab Chief Minister had already given approval to provide Health Professional Allowance to 233 Medical Officers of Population Welfare Department who are working on contract basis with a lump sum remuneration of Rs 30 thousands per month.
The surplus expenditures were occurred in this head is being borne by the Population Welfare Department itself. If the remaining 12 Medical Officers working on regular basis in the department would be accorded this allowance, the Punjab government would have to bear Rs 7.4 million only, she said.