The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to reduce from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh the bond money for MBBS doctors who pursue higher medical courses, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on February 6.

Resident doctors of state medical colleges have been protesting against the bank guarantee policy since long. Speaking in the state assembly on the third day of ongoing budget session, Thakur said the state cabinet decided to reduce bank guarantee by half in its February 6 meeting.

He was replying to a question asked by Asha Kumari of the Congress regarding chemotherapy facilities. Earlier, replying to Kumari's question, Health Minister Vipin Parmar said adequate steps were being taken to strengthen treatment facilities for cancer patients in the state. BJP MLA from Nurpur Rakesh Pathania also asked as to when chemotherapy facilities would be made available at RPG Medical College Tanda for the benefit of patients from Kangra district and nearby areas.