The Tashichhoeling’s Member of Parliament, Dil Maya Rai asked the Finance Minister about the allowances for veterinary doctors and staff.
The MP requested if the Ministry could clarify to the House whether there is a possibility for those veterinary doctors and staff for similar allowance like that of health workers during the Question Hour session in the National Assembly yesterday.
“The veterinary doctors and staff have been carrying out similar services to domestic animals like dogs and cats to prevent the spread of dangerous diseases like SARS ,H1N5 ,H1N7, and the most common outbreak like coronavirus at the present. Since there is a high risk to veterinary staff getting infected by such diseases, it would be wiser to allocate substantial budget for them as well,” said Dil Maya Rai the Tashichhoeling MP.
In response to the question, Finance Minister Namgay Tshering said the 4th pay commission did not allocate any allowance for the veterinary staff. He said the government will, however, see to it in the future.
“It was in the 4th pay commission since the pay revision was based on priority with a limited budget. We are aware of the important role of the veterinary staff in our society, we are aware of the risk they are taking. As proposed by the Prime minister we have approved radiation allowance to the veterinary technicians. It’s true that we have given good allowances to the medical doctors and staff compared to the veterinary, but it doesn’t mean that the veterinary is not important. We did that to attract more into the medical profession since there is a shortage of medical staff in every Dzongkhags. If an opportunity for pay revision comes in the future we will surely take into account the risk the vets are taking,” said Namgay Tshering, the Finance Minister.
