Bhubaneswar, Aug. 2: The Odisha government today announced special financial incentives for doctors to be posted as teaching staff in the four new government-run medical colleges.

While the new medical colleges in Koraput and Baripada have started functioning from this academic session, the ones in Balasore and Balangir are scheduled to commence their courses from the next year.

The state cabinet, which cleared the proposal, divided the four colleges into two categories. Balangir and Koraput, considered the backward region of the state, fell in zone 1 attracting more incentives and the other two - Balasore and Baripada - were categorised as zone 2.

A professor of the colleges in Balangir and Koraput will get an incentive of Rs 1.25 lakh per month in addition to his regular emoluments, an associate professor Rs 1 lakh and an assistant professor Rs 50,000 per month.

The financial implication for each college will be around Rs 63,50 lakh per month. A professor will get a total of Rs 2,41,130 per month, including the incentives. Similarly, an associate professor and assistant professor will get Rs 2,13,680 and Rs 1,07,820 per month, respectively, including the incentives.

A professor of the colleges in Baripada and Balasore will get an incentive of Rs 35,000 per month in addition to his regular salary, an associate professor Rs 25,000 and assistant professor Rs 15,000 per month. The financial implication for one college will be Rs 17.45 lakh per month. A professor will get a total of Rs 1,51,130, including the incentives. Similarly, an associate professor and assistant professor will get Rs 1,38,680 and Rs 72,820 per month, respectively, including the incentives.

In another decision, the government has decided not to charge any premium from the railway while allowing it to construct overbridges over rivers, canals and roads in the state.

The cabinet also changed the loan repayment period under the Kalinga Sikhya Sathi Yojana (to provide financial assistance) loan scheme with a relaxation of 90 days in case of default in paying the first instalment after the moratorium period of five years. Now, the students will pay an interest of 1 per cent on the loan amount and the rest will be borne by the state government.

The cabinet today also gave post facto approval to the notification already issued specifying various rates of tax for goods and services under the GST Act, 2017.