Stipend for medics hiked to ₹17,000 after HC order
The interns in the state earlier had held protests, demanding an increase in their stipend
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government on Sunday increased the monthly stipend of intern doctors in medical colleges from ₹7,500 to ₹17,000, days after a directive by the high court.
Approving the increase in stipend, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Doctors and paramedic staff have provided valuable services during the pandemic and lessened the impact of Covid-19 on the state.”
The interns earlier held protests, demanding an increase in their stipend.
On July 7, the Uttarakhand high court directed health secretary Amit Negi to consider increasing the stipend being paid to the intern doctors.
“For, on the one hand, according to Amit Negi, it is difficult to attract the doctors to the state, yet, on the other hand, the stipend being paid to the intern doctors is too low as compared to the other states. Therefore, the state government should consider the possibility of increasing the stipend of intern doctors within the state”, said the high court order.
The issue of increasing the stipend of interns was raised by Abhijay Negi, counsel of one of the petitioners in the high court on Covid situation in the state.
“According to him (counsel Abhijay Negi), while the intern doctors in Uttarakhand are being paid a monthly stipend of ₹7,500, the intern doctors in Himachal Pradesh are being paid ₹17,000 and in Chhattisgarh, they are being paid ₹17,900 per month,” the high court said.
Last month interns at Dr Sushila Tiwari Government Hospital Haldwani, the main referral hospital, held protests, demanding an increase in their stipend. They warned of boycotting work if their stipend was not increased.
Dr Arun Kumar, a junior doctor, said, “Only ₹7,500 stipend was being given to the junior doctors in the state for the last 12 years, whereas the central government gives a stipend of ₹23,000 to the junior doctors interning in the hospitals.”
THE ISSUE OF INCREASING THE STIPEND OF INTERNS WAS RAISED BY ABHIJAY NEGI, COUNSEL OF ONE OF THE PETITIONERS IN THE HC ON COVID SITUATION IN THE STATE.