The medical interns of the Rajiv Gandhi Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital in the Mahe district of Pondicherry staged a strike today, Monday, February 12, urging the territorial government to raise their stipends, said a report by PTI.

The interns pointed out that Chief Minister N Rangasamy, during his visit to the region to participate in a function in the college, had promised that the stipend would be increased from the present Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per month for an intern.

"The assurance is yet to see the light of the day and even the present stipend is not regularly available. We hope that the government will implement the promise without loss of time lest the interns should resort to a relay strike," the interns stated in a release.

The interns are from all over the Union Territory of Puducherry and also from Lakshadweep.

Official sources told PTI that the government had promised to enhance the stipend to Rs 20,000 to ensure parity with the amount paid in the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry.

"The file relating to the upward revision of the stipend in keeping with the promise given by the chief minister had been forwarded to the government for implementation," the sources said.