PATIALA: The Punjab government has decided to recruit 613 staff nurses and nine radiographers on contractual basis.

This was stated by Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Research and Medical Education) Sheetal Singh while speaking at a function organised to hand over appointment letters to 65 such staff nurses and 19 operating theatre assistants, who had been given employment in Government Rajindra Hospital here.

He said a total of 540 staff nurses and other staff would be recruited in this scheme for Government Rajindra Hospital in view of the chronic shortage of paramedical staff in this permier healthcare institution of the state.

He said earlier the staff nurses and other paramedical staff appointed on contractual basis were paid a monthly stipend of Rs 3,200 that had now been revised to Rs 7,500 per month.

Sheetal Singh called upon the new appointees to deliver their best in the service of the ailing humanity.

He said the Punjab government was committed to providing best medical treatment and healthcare facilities to all sections of society and the contractual appointments were a step in this direction.

Dr Jai Kishan, Director of Research and Medical Education, said complete transparency had been exercised while making these contractual appointments and these had been made purely on the basis of merit.