Mumbai: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) interns are likely to get a rise in their stipend. After fighting hard for their rights, the Medical Education Minister, Girish Mahajan, promised to increase the stipend by 45 per cent.
Currently, the medical interns in Maharashtra get Rs 6,000 per month, which they said is not at par with the other states, where interns get nearly Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.
This decision comes after the Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) held a meeting with the medical education minister on July 17, in which they demanded a hike in their stipend. This decision has been kept on hold since 2015.
Mahajan has directed the medical education department to put up a proposal to increase the stipend from Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,000. “I have instructed the Directorate of Medical Education and Research to put up a proposal in the cabinet, asking for a hike in the stipend paid to medical interns. We will make sure this issue is resolved immediately,” he said.
However, ASMI has now demanded that the stipend be raised to Rs 20,000. “According to the rules of the Medical Council of India, our stipend must be hiked by 10 per cent every year which the Maharashtra government has not been doing,” said Dr Hrishikesh Mankar, president, ASMI.
Dr Ajinkya Vede, general secretary, ASMI said, earlier they were considering of going on an indefinite strike from July 22. However, they called off the stir after the minister assured them of increasing their stipend.
“Since the last four years we have been demanding our stipend be increased. We have also placed other few demands. Finally, the government has assured to fulfil our demands.”
The doctors have also asked the state government to provide them with a written assurance stating their demands will be implemented at the earliest. They have also asked to account the stipend from the month of February.
