Sixth pay commission: Resident doctors won’t get revised pay for October

Sixth pay commission: Resident doctors won’t get revised pay for October

30 Sep 2008, 0317 hrs IST, Risha Chitlangia,TNN

NEW DELHI: Resident doctors at Central and Delhi government hospitals are angry as the Union health ministry has not issued any notification for revi sion of salary as per the sixth pay commission’s recommendation for resident doctors. Most government servants would be drawing revised salary on October 1 as per the sixth pay commission’s recommendations, but resident doctors would be drawing their salary as per the old scale.

“It is shocking that the Union health ministry simply forgot to send a notification for revision of salary of resident doctors. This, despite the sixth pay commission dedicating one paragraph for resident doctors in its recommendation,” said Dr Akhil Singhal, vice-president, resident doctors’ association (RDA), Lok Nayak Hospital.

“We are being deprived of our basic rights. The AIIMS administration has, however, promised resident doctors that it will be paying us the corresponding salary as per the new scale, which would be adjusted once the ministry takes a final decision. But it is unfortunate the ministry forgot about us,” said Dr Kumar Harsh, RDA president, AIIMS.

The RDA members of Lok Nayak Hospital approached the Indian Medical Association for help. “We support the doctors. Since 1986, resident doctors have been getting salaries as per revised scales. We will write to the government over the issue,” said Dr Anil Bansal, assistant secretary, IMA. According to resident doctors, the government has created huge disparity amongst medical professionals. “Staff nurses with less than one year of experience would be drawing more salary that senior resident doctors. This is just not done,” said Dr Dhirendra Dhiraj, coordinating secretary, federation of resident doctors association (FORDA).

Delhi health minister Dr Yoganand Shastri said: “We will write to the Union health ministry and convey the grievances of resident doctors. Once we get the notification, we will immediately process their salary as per new scales.”

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/