Mumbai:
The eight-day old strike by resident doctors in Maharashtra was called off on Tuesday after state government agreed to increase their stipend by Rs 7,000.
"The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has agreed to withdraw the strike after talks with the government, which will bear an additional expenditure of Rs 19.5 crore per annum on account of hike in the stipend,"
Minister for Medical, Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope said.
The hike was around 48 per cent on the original amount.
Accordingly, Junior Residents (JR1) would get a stipend of Rs 22,875, JR2 Rs 23,106, JR3 Rs 23,326 while Senior Residents, those pursuing speciality courses, would get Rs 24,534 (SR1), Rs 25,217 (SR2) and Rs 25,901 (SR3).
The development would benefit over 3,000 resident doctors and also around 2,000 interns whose stipend has also been increased by Rs 800, the Minister said.
The interns now get Rs 1,700 per month.
MARD president Jeevan Rajput said, "we have agreed with the government's proposal and all the doctors would join duty immediately. We are also concerned about our patients."
The strike had affected services at 24 medical colleges in the state and three medical colleges under Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Doctors began the strike for redressal of their demands which included higher stipends and better living conditions at hospitals.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had directed the state government to furnish details on the action it proposed to initiate against striking doctors of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) in accordance with its undertaking before the court a few years ago.
In order to avoid any such action in the future, the government would set up a mechanism, the Minister said.
"The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has agreed to withdraw the strike after talks with the government, which will bear an additional expenditure of Rs 19.5 crore per annum on account of hike in the stipend,"
Minister for Medical, Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope said.
The hike was around 48 per cent on the original amount.
Accordingly, Junior Residents (JR1) would get a stipend of Rs 22,875, JR2 Rs 23,106, JR3 Rs 23,326 while Senior Residents, those pursuing speciality courses, would get Rs 24,534 (SR1), Rs 25,217 (SR2) and Rs 25,901 (SR3).
The development would benefit over 3,000 resident doctors and also around 2,000 interns whose stipend has also been increased by Rs 800, the Minister said.
The interns now get Rs 1,700 per month.
MARD president Jeevan Rajput said, "we have agreed with the government's proposal and all the doctors would join duty immediately. We are also concerned about our patients."
The strike had affected services at 24 medical colleges in the state and three medical colleges under Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Doctors began the strike for redressal of their demands which included higher stipends and better living conditions at hospitals.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had directed the state government to furnish details on the action it proposed to initiate against striking doctors of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) in accordance with its undertaking before the court a few years ago.
In order to avoid any such action in the future, the government would set up a mechanism, the Minister said.
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