The long battle of Maharashtra resident doctors concluded as the Cabinet has given an official nod to the demands of resident doctors. Therefore, the Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) called off its mass strike upon the official assurance of a hike in stipend by the Cabinet on February 25, 2024.
To recall, over 8,000 residents from the state were on strike on February 22 demanding a hike in stipend, regularisation of stipend and adequate hostel facility for both junior and senior residents. Although the government had given verbal assurances multiple times earlier, the doctors were refusing to persuade to call off the strike as their year-long battle for written assurance addressing their concerns was not being met.
Speaking to EdexLive about the strike, Vice-President of Central MARD Dr Sarbik De, said, "As our demands were discussed in the cabinet meeting held on February 25 and since they decided to address them, we called off the strike last night (February 25) and joined our duties with immediate effect."
Cabinet meeting
In the cabinet meeting held on February 25, the Maharashtra government decided to increase the stipend of resident doctors by Rs 10,000, De told EdexLive. The official document which EdexLive has access to read, "The decision to increase the tuition fees of all resident doctors in the state by Rs 10,000 was taken in the cabinet meeting held today."
"Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presided over the meeting. 10 thousand per month along with dearness allowance will be increased in the tuition fee of the students of Post Graduate Course (Junior and Senior) in all Government Medical, Dental, Ayurveda Colleges from March 1, 2024," it added.
Expressing its sincere gratitude to the government, MARD, in a statement issued on Sunday, February 25, shared, "The decision of increment of stipend by rupees 10 thousand, effective from 1st March 2024 for residents across the state will play a pivotal role to enhance the mental, financial and social health of each resident doctor individually as well as collectively boost the morale of all the residents."
Other demands addressed
Now that the main demand for a hike in stipend is assured to be addressed, Sarbik De recalled, "In a “momentous meeting” with Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister, Hasan Mushrif, Medical Education Minister, along with several other authorities of Maharashtra on February 7, other two demands were discussed and assured to be thought about."
Other demands are:
1) Adequate hostel facility for both junior and senior residents
2) Payment of stipend to resident doctors' bank accounts by the 10th of every month with clearance of outstanding stipend to date
De claimed, "About the hostel facility, the government decided to repair the existing hostels which are not in good condition, construct new hostels and lease buildings temporarily to accommodate all the residents."
Additionally, about the payment of stipend by the 10th of every month, the government said it will initiate coordination between the Directorate of Medical Education Research (DMER) and the Finance Ministry, he added.
