The Gujarat government has increased the honorarium for visiting specialist doctors in district hospitals and community health centres under the CM Setu Scheme. This hike, effective from July 2023, ensures that all visiting specialists receive a minimum of ₹4,200 per day for at least three hours of service, a significant rise from previous rates. The scheme benefits medical professionals across Gujarat’s 33 districts, especially in rural and semi-urban areas where specialist care is crucial but often scarce.
Understand Key Benefits at a Glance
- General physicians and pediatricians: Increased from ₹3,000 to ₹4,200 per day
- Other specialists: Raised from ₹2,000 to ₹4,200 per day
- Non-surgical super-specialists: New honorarium set at ₹8,500 per day
- Surgical super-specialists: Increased to ₹2,700 per day
- Minimum service requirement: At least 3 hours per day to be eligible
This uniform increase across specialties aims to attract and retain qualified doctors in Gujarat’s public health facilities, including district hospitals in districts like Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, and Bhavnagar, as well as community health centres (CHCs) in tribal and remote areas such as Dang and Narmada districts.
Check Who Is Eligible
The revised honorarium applies to visiting specialist doctors who provide outpatient or inpatient consultations at Gujarat’s government-run healthcare centres under the CM Setu Scheme. Eligible doctors include:
- General physicians and pediatricians
- Specialists in areas such as cardiology, neurology, dermatology, orthopaedics, and gynecology
- Non-surgical super-specialists like endocrinologists and nephrologists
- Surgical super-specialists including general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons
Doctors must be registered with the Gujarat Medical Council and empanelled by the State Health Department. Visiting doctors affiliated with government medical colleges, such as B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad or Government Medical College in Surat, may also participate if assigned to district hospitals or CHCs.
Gather Required Documents
To receive the revised honorarium, visiting doctors must submit the following documents to the district health authorities or hospital administration:
- Valid medical registration certificate from Gujarat Medical Council
- Proof of empanelment under the CM Setu Scheme (issued by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Gandhinagar)
- Government identity proof (Aadhaar card or voter ID)
- Attendance and service duration records signed by hospital superintendent or CHC in-charge
- Bank account details linked to the doctor’s name for direct honorarium payment
Hospitals such as the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad and district hospitals in Rajkot and Vadodara are responsible for verifying these documents before processing payments.
Follow How to Apply — Step by Step
- Contact the district health office or respective hospital administration in your posting district (for example, Jamnagar District Hospital or Mehsana CHC) to express interest in participating as a visiting specialist.
- Complete the registration and empanelment process by submitting your medical registration and identity documents to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, located at Gandhinagar.
- Once empanelled, coordinate with hospital authorities to schedule your visiting hours, ensuring a minimum of three hours per day of service.
- Maintain daily attendance and service records duly signed by the hospital superintendent or CHC in-charge.
- Submit monthly attendance and service time sheets along with bank details to the district health office for honorarium disbursal.
- Receive honorarium payments directly into your bank account as per the revised rates.
Note Application Deadline and Important Dates
The revised honorarium rates under the CM Setu Scheme came into effect on 1 July 2023. Doctors who have been providing services since this date are eligible to claim the increased payment retroactively by submitting pending documents to district health authorities by 31 August 2023. New applicants must complete empanelment and begin service before 31 December 2023 to avail the updated honorarium for the financial year 2023-24.
The Gujarat Health Department, led by Health Minister Rishikesh Patel, has emphasized timely submissions to ensure prompt payments. This initiative is part of Gujarat’s broader healthcare strengthening ahead of the G20 Health Ministers’ Summit scheduled for August 17-19, 2023 in Gandhinagar, which will spotlight the state’s healthcare advancements.
Explore Why This Scheme Matters for Gujarat
Gujarat’s healthcare system faces ongoing challenges such as uneven distribution of specialist doctors, notably in tribal districts like Dahod and Panchmahal. The increase in honorarium under the CM Setu Scheme is a strategic move to mitigate shortages by incentivizing specialists to serve in public hospitals and community health centres across the state.
By raising pay scales, the government aims to reduce dependence on private healthcare and improve access to quality specialist care in rural and semi-urban areas. This complements other ongoing initiatives such as the Health Awareness Talk Series and the Increase in Financial Power for Medical Colleges, which seek to bolster healthcare infrastructure and community health education.
The scheme also supports Gujarat’s ambition to attract medical tourism and pharmaceutical investments by showcasing robust public healthcare facilities during the upcoming G20 Summit. With visiting specialists more fairly compensated, hospitals in cities like Surat, Rajkot, and Vadodara will be better positioned to offer advanced medical services and handle complex cases, as highlighted by recent successes such as life-saving interventions in Dharpur Hospital.
Furthermore, addressing doctor shortages in urbanizing centres, including Ahmedabad which currently faces a shortage of family doctors, remains a priority. This honorarium hike may encourage more specialists to participate in government healthcare networks, ensuring wider access to essential treatments.
Overall, the CM Setu Scheme’s honorarium revision marks a decisive step toward strengthening Gujarat’s public healthcare workforce, improving patient outcomes, and supporting the state’s healthcare sector growth.
Next steps for interested doctors and healthcare administrators:
- Verify eligibility and prepare required documents immediately.
- Contact district health offices or hospital administration in your area for empanelment details.
- Submit attendance records punctually to ensure honorarium payments without delay.