By Firstdespatch Desk Jun 24, 2026
Agartala, June 24 (FD) In a major policy decision aimed at strengthening public healthcare services, the Tripura Cabinet has decided to prohibit doctors serving at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital from engaging in private practice.
To offset the restriction, the state government has approved a special 20 per cent increase in their salaries.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who also holds the Health portfolio.
Announcing the decision, Cabinet spokesperson and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said the new policy would apply exclusively to doctors posted at AGMC and GBP Hospital, the state’s premier tertiary healthcare and referral institution.
“We want to provide better healthcare service to people, so the decision has been taken. In lieu of discontinuing private practice, doctors will receive a special 20 per cent salary enhancement,” Chowdhury told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
He clarified that the directive would not, for the time being, cover doctors serving in district and sub-divisional hospitals, although the government may consider extending the policy to other healthcare institutions in the future.
According to the minister, the issue had been under consideration for some time and was discussed on several occasions. The matter was recently raised again by the Health Secretary during a Cabinet meeting, following which the Chief Minister took a final decision.
The government has made it clear that doctors posted at AGMC and GBP Hospital will no longer be permitted to run private chambers or offer private consultations. Those unwilling to comply with the new policy may opt to resign from government service, Chowdhury said.
He further revealed that a team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which recently visited Tripura, had recommended the adoption of such a measure to improve healthcare delivery standards. Similar restrictions on private practice are already in force at several leading government medical institutions across the country, including AIIMS, New Delhi.
Officials estimate that approximately 350 doctors will come under the purview of the new policy, which is expected to be implemented in the near future.
The move is being seen as a significant step towards enhancing the efficiency of the public healthcare system by ensuring greater availability of specialist doctors within government hospitals, reducing absenteeism, and improving patient care services. FD JK