TN CM announces stipend hike, but striking medicos relentless
By chennaivision at 4 July, 2009, 5:30 pm
Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced hike in the stipend to House Surgeons and Post Graduate Assistants, but the striking doctors, demanding increase in stipend, declined to call off the stir, saying the hike was insufficient.
As the statewide indefinite strike, launched by about 3,500 house surgeons and PG assistants, entered the third day, the Chief Minister ordered payment of enhanced stipend to them in a bid to end the stir, but the doctors did not relent.
The Chief Minister increased the monthly stipend to house surgeons from the existing Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,000 and to the non serving PG assistants to Rs 12,000, Rs 13,000 and Rs 14,000 for first, second and third year students, respectively.
In case of Speciality PGs, the stipend has been increased to Rs 15,000, Rs 16,000 and Rs 17,000 for the first, second and third year students, respectively.
This was not acceptable to striking doctors as they demand Rs 10,000 for house surgeons, Rs 25,000 to Rs 27,000 for non serving PGs and Rs 28,000 to Rs 30,000 to speciality PG students.
When contacted Dr V Sivaprakasam, Organising Secretary of Tamil Nadu house surgeons and Post Graduate assistants’ Federation told UNI that the hike announced by the Chief Minister was not acceptable and the strike would continue till their just demands were conceded.
He said Mr Karunanidhi’s order was shown to them and they were asked to call off the stir, even before they could hold talks with Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam at the Secretariat this morning.
”We told the minister this (hike) is not acceptable to us and we will continue the strike. We have requested the minsiter to help us to meet either the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister,” Dr Sivaprakasam said.
Meanwhile, the striking doctors, took out rallies in the city, Coimbatore and other places to press their demands. As the government had closed down the hostels, they were staying outside to carry out their struggle.
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