This benefit will be at the rate of 5 per cent retrospectively from October 31, 2006 along with basic pay. The orders for this, which have been circulated by Punjab government, will also be effective for retired PCMS doctors for their pension.

In a press statement issued here, Dr Hardeep Singh, president, and Dr Balwinder Kumar, registrar of Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, said that this was part of anomaly in pay and pension of doctors for interim relief granted earlier to all employees of the state.

Now with this decision, the NPA and DP will be equally considered as basic pay for calculating interim relief in case of PCMS doctors retrospectively from October 31, 2006. PCMS representatives said that there was resentment among PCMS doctors for this anomaly in granting interim relief which has been now solved but still PCMS doctors are waiting for justice to get ‘pay fixation formula for dearness pay after 50 per cent merger of DA; which their counterparts at Central health services are getting.”