AYUSH Interns Demand Stipend Hike, Threaten OPD Strike After 15-Day Ultimatum In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): After fulfilment of MBBS interns' demand for a stipend hike, AYUSH interns staged a protest at the collectorate on Tuesday to seek a raise in their stipend.

They stated that the government currently provides a monthly stipend of Rs 9,383, which is the lowest among 15 states in the country. The intern doctors were stopped at the main gate of the collectorate.

Police forces were deployed at the site. Intern doctors have warned that if no action is taken within 15 days, they will go on strike and stop attending OPD duties. OPD services will be suspended.

A three-day protest was recently held in Bhopal by MBBS interns from Gandhi Medical College (GMC) demanding a stipend hike.

During the protest, they blocked roads. Subsequently, the government acceded to the demand and raised the interns' stipend by 50%, bringing it to Rs 21,500 per month.

As per AYUSH interns, monthly stipend for AYUSH interns in West Bengal is Rs 33,099, in Odisha it is Rs 30,000, Telangana (Rs 29,792), Bihar (Rs 27,000), Andhra Pradesh (Rs 25,906), Kerala (Rs 23,000), Karnataka (Rs 22,500), Assam and Maharashtra (Rs 18,000), Chhattisgarh (Rs 15,900), and Punjab and Uttarakhand (Rs 15,000).

In Rajasthan, interns receive a stipend of Rs 14,000 along with dearness allowance (DA), while in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, the stipend is Rs 10,000. In Madhya Pradesh, only Rs 9,383 is provided.