Forces set to recruit 400 retired military docs, ministry gives nod
NEW DELHI: The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) is set to recruit 400 retired medical doctors for 11 months to strengthen the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said on Sunday. The defence ministry has passed an order to allow AFMS to recruit these doctors who were released from service between 2017 and 2019.
The armed forces and other wings of the defence ministry have been at the centre of national efforts to battle Covid-19. They have set up Covid hospitals, ramped up oxygen production, airlifted medical staff and oxygen containers and liaised with state governments to help deal with the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
“The order says fixed monthly lump sum amount will be admissible by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement plus specialist pay wherever applicable. The amount would remain unchanged for the term of the contract and no other allowances would be paid,” said a defence ministry statement on Sunday. The armed forces are operating in full battle mode for Covid-19 relief and foresee a bigger role for themselves in the coming weeks and months to help tackle the devastating second wave of the pandemic even as they cater to the health needs of serving soldiers, veterans and their dependents, as reported by HT on May 6.
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh recently directed the armed forces to extend help to the civil administration to tide over the growing crisis of the pandemic.
He said that his ministry has given emergency financial powers to the armed forces so that they can set up and operate quarantine facilities and hospitals and procure essential equipment. He added that the powers were in addition to the emergency financial powers delegated to Director General Medical Services of the three service wings and other medical officers their units.