Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 7 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while presiding over a meeting of the Health Department on Monday, announced that the state government is contemplating granting Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) to Medical Officers (Specialist) in the state. 
According to the Himachal Government, CM Sukhu reiterated the state government's commitment to provide world-class health care services to the patients within the state, asserting that numerous steps have been taken in this regard, yielding positive outcomes. 
He said that the state government was prioritising strengthening all the medical colleges of the state and was filling up all the vacant posts in the health care institutions.
CM Sukhu said that the state government is going to spend Rs. 800 crore to strengthen cancer care institutions across the state in view of rising cases of cancer in the state. He directed the formation of an expert committee to recommend a future roadmap to strengthen the cancer care institutions.
CM Sukhu further mentioned that the state government is in the process of procuring high-end machines and equipment at par with AIIMS Delhi, to bolster diagnostic and patient care facilities.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was planning exposure visits to the renowned and world-class health care institutions abroad for the medical students and faculty to acquaint them with the world-class practices of treatment and incorporate them in the health institutions of the State. 
He said that the state government has already sent meritorious students of schools and technical institutions on foreign exposure visits, as these visits contribute meaningfully to their learning experiences.
CM Sukhu also said that the state government was also planning to move forward in the direction of new-age health care techniques such as gene and molecular therapy.
Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Sanjay Awasthy, Chairman, H.P. Buildings and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Nardev Kanwar, Secretary Health Ashish Singhmar and other senior officers were also present in the meeting, while Principals of Government Medical Colleges of the state joined the meeting virtually.