Maharashtra: Resident Doctors' Planned Strike Withdrawn as Govt Increases Stipend by Rs. 10,000

Mumbai: Resident doctors of medical colleges in the state called off their planned strike after a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the strike was called off after the Deputy Chief Minister, in a meeting with representatives of resident doctors' associations, promised to increase the stipend of resident doctors by Rs 10,000 and pay their stipend regularly on a certain date of every month.

A meeting was held at his chamber in Mantralaya under the chairmanship of the Deputy Chief Minister regarding the demands of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) in the state. The meeting was attended by Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, Principal Secretary of Planning Department Saurabh Vijay, Principal Secretary of Medical Education Department Dinesh Waghmare, Director of Directorate of Medical Education and Research Dr. Dilip Mhaisekar and office bearers of MARD association were present.

For the last few years, MARD has been continuously demanding the government to build a new hostel, as well as repair the existing hostel, make the stipend on the lines of the Central Health Institute, and give it on time. Finally, he met the deputy chief minister and finance minister of the state and conveyed his demands. Responding positively to MARD's demands, it agreed to the demand for an increase in stipend and timely payment. He also told the doctors that the hostel would be repaired immediately.

At present, the stipend of resident doctors is close to Rs 80,000. With the addition of Rs 10,000, his stipend is said to be in the range of Rs 90,000.