Chandigarh, Mar 19 (IANS): To overcome shortage of medical staff, the Punjab cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, on Monday decided that MBBS doctors will now get their full salaries, including all allowances, during probation too.

With this, the state government has decided to do away with the condition of basic pay only for newly-appointed medical officers in the Health and Family Welfare Department.

This is in line with the practice already being followed in several other categories like Punjab Civil Services (Judicial Branch), an official spokesperson told IANS.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Assurance Committee had also taken serious note of the shortage of doctors and directed the government to fill the vacant posts at the earliest.

In the light of this, the proposal for the payment of full salary to the newly appointed MBBS doctors, equal to the pay being given to the specialist doctors, was put up before the Chief Minister after approval by the Health Minister, said the spokesperson.

In another decision, the cabinet approved the Punjab Health and Family Welfare, Technical (Group-B) Service Rules -- 2018 to facilitate recruitment and promotions of various technical group "B" vacant posts.

These rules would also open more promotional channels for the paramedical and technical staff.