New Delhi, March 12 - There is a shortfall of 1,410 doctors at the 22,669 primary health centres across the country, while 7,352 centres are functioning without lab technicians, the Lok Sabha was informed Wednesday.

To overcome the shortfall, the health ministry has formed a task force under the National Rural Health Mission, headed by Director General of Health Service R.K. Srivastava, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi told parliament.

It recommended that the retirement age of doctors should be increased preferably to 65 years with a posting near their hometown.

It was also decided that recruitment should be decentralised at the district level, with walk-in-interviews and contractual appointment of doctors, the minister said. She added that doctor\'s salaries for postings in rural areas would be enhanced by one-third.

Lakshmi said that under the National Rural Health Mission, funds were released to states and union territories for upgradation and strengthening of the primary health centres, including contractual appointment of staff