Provide land to govt doctors after retirement, Hek reiterates

SHILLONG, April 28: Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Friday renewed his call to the state government to provide land to government doctors after they retire from service as is done in the case of IAS officers.
He said doctors from outside the state do not want to stay in the state post-retirement as they cannot buy land due to the Land Transfer Act.
“I am of the view that the doctors can contribute much better even after retirement as long as they are active. But the bureaucrats have limited contributions after retirement,” Hek, a former Health Minister, reasoned out while talking to reporters.
According to him, special and super specialist doctors are the assets of not only the state but also the country. He said the services rendered by doctors are perennial as they can serve people even after superannuation.
Hek felt if the government replicates the policy adopted for retired IAS officers, more doctors will be encouraged to serve in the state’s Health Department. He said it is important to retain the good doctors from outside.
Hek was confident many good things are going to take place in the health department under the dynamic leadership of Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh. He hoped that she would take all possible steps to ensure that Shillong Medical College and Tura Medical College become functional early.
A 45.01 acre plot (1960635.6 square feet), acquired by the government between 1992 and 1995, was allotted to the Civil Service Officers’ Housing Cooperative Society Ltd at Rs 19,60,636 in May 2009. The government had acquired the land at Rs 3 per sq ft from landowners but allotted it to the Society at Re 1 per sq ft.