MS Orthopaedics doctor slapped Rs 50 lakh bond penalty for being absent since 2018 from duty
Ludhiana: A doctor recently got fined Rs 50 lakh as a bond penalty to the Punjab Health Department as he could not fulfill his bond service commitment and remained absent from duty since March 2018.
As per the rules, if a Government doctor pursues a postgraduate medical course like MD/MS, they have to submit an undertaking to serve the State Health Department for 10 years. If any doctor fails to fulfill this liability, then, they have to pay a bond amount of Rs 50 lakh.
The State Health Department informed TOI on Wednesday that the concerned doctor, who remained absent from duty since March 2018, paid Rs 30 lakh bond amount and he has requested for some time to pay the rest of the amount i.e. Rs 20 lakh.
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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the concerned doctor was working at a community health centre in Mamdot. He went on to pursue and MS course in Orthopaedics in 2014 under the Government quota. Ludhiana Civil Surgeon, Dr. Jasbir Singh Aulakh informed that the doctor presented himself on duty at CHC, Dehlon on July 7, 2017, after completing his PG medical course. He had given an undertaking to the Government promising to either complete ten years of service in the health department or pay Rs 50 lakh as penalty, in case he left the job, informed Dr. Aulakh.
The Civil Surgeon Dr. Aulakh further informed that the concerned doctor remained absent without any reason after March 12, 2018. Even though the Civil Surgeon had asked the doctor to rejoin duty, the directions were not complied with by the doctor.
Following this, the doctor was given a warning to either join duty or deposit the bond money i.e. Rs 50 lakh, the Health Department informed TOI. Consequently, the doctor deposited Rs 30 lakh in the account of senior medical officer at CHC, Dehlon. He requested for some more time to pay the outstanding amount i.e. Rs 20 lakh.
Commenting on the matter, Dr Aulakh informed the Daily that this was a second case where a doctor was made to deposit the bond money after remaining absent from work and failing to honour the bond commitment.
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