A proposed reduction in the mandatory rural service for medical students passing out of Chhattisgarh’s medical colleges could again create friction between Health Minister T.S. Singhdeo and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

On December 9, the Health Minister had tweeted that his department is considering reducing the mandatory rural service period for undergraduate (MBBS) and post-graduate medical students from the present two years to one year.

The move is contemplated because of strong opposition from the Doctors’ Association to strict conditions including signing a bond amount of ₹25 lakhs (₹20 lakhs for students under reserved category) for MBBS students and ₹50 lakhs (₹40 lakhs for reserved category) for PG students if they opt out of the mandatory rural posting.

As the government now examines a proposal to reduce the bond amount as well the service duration, MLAs from the Naxal-affected region are planning to meet Mr. Singhdeo and the Chief Minister and request a re-think.

Some MLAs loyal to the Chief Minister, argue that a shortage of rural doctors may affect the functioning the Haat Bazar Clinic scheme, a flagship scheme of the Baghel government for rural healthcare. The Chief Minister, too, is said to be apprehensive about the proposal even though he has not made any public comments.

For several weeks now, both the leaders, who have been locked in a leadership tussle, have maintained a careful silence after Mr. Singhdeo met party chief Sonia Gandhi last month. But the latest State Health Ministry proposal of reducing the duration of the rural posting may renew the fissures.

Right now, 786 undergraduate students and 216 postgraduate students are providing their services in rural areas under contract.

“This is the reason that during the Corona period, health facilities were restored in rural areas and the burden on city-based hospitals did not go up,” said an official who didn’t wish to be identified.