Patna: The Bihar government has announced a 10% additional monthly incentive for contractual health workers employed under the National Health Mission (NHM), in a move aimed at boosting morale and improving the delivery of public healthcare services across the state.
The allowance, which will be paid from September 2025, will be added to workers’ existing monthly honorarium and funded through the state plan budget. Officials said the payment would be disbursed regularly each month and calculated on the basis of the remuneration fixed at the time of implementation.
Under the new arrangement, the incentive will not include any annual increment. Health department officials clarified that employees appointed after 31 August 2025 will also be eligible, receiving the additional 10% on their starting pay. The government said the measure was designed to ensure parity among both existing and newly hired staff.
According to the State Health Society, approximately Rs 42 crore has been sanctioned to finance the scheme between September 2025 and March 2026. The funds will be transferred directly to the society to ensure that payments are made on time and without administrative delays.
Thousands of frontline workers, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and other support staff, are expected to benefit. Officials said the financial support would help address concerns over low contractual pay while encouraging better performance and stability within the workforce.
The state government believes that strengthening incentives for health personnel will ultimately translate into improved efficiency and higher-quality care for patients, particularly in rural and underserved areas where NHM workers form the backbone of the healthcare system.
