In an effort to provide quality healthcare to people in isolated regions, the government has decided to give extra perks to the medical persons willing to work in these areas.

The Health Ministry will identify "difficult, most difficult and inaccessible areas, particularly in hilly states, northeastern states and tribal areas" with the help state governments. Primary health centres (PHCs) will be set in these areas.

The provision for contractual appointments of doctors and paramedical staff will be made. Medical officials will be provided significantly higher monetary incentives based on their location of posting.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "Because of lack of incentives from state governments, no doctor wants to work in the country's most backward areas. We will therefore identify the most isolated areas, pinpoint where the state can set up a PHC and then give them funds to hire doctors on contract."

The Health Ministry has taken this step to meet the storage of doctors and other medical staff members in villages and backward areas. Statistics from an NRHM report indicated that there are no doctors in nearly 8% PHCs, whereas 39% of these don't have a lab technician and about 17.7% are without a pharmacist. PHCs in some states don't even have proper labor rooms and operation theatres.