JAMMU, Aug 31: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra on Monday urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene in the ongoing protest by medical interns and ensure an early and meaningful enhancement in their stipend.
Medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir began an indefinite strike on Monday, demanding that their monthly stipend be increased from the existing Rs 12,300 to Rs 30,000. The interns have said their stipend has remained unchanged for nearly seven years despite repeated representations.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, Karra described the interns’ demand as genuine and deserving of “sympathetic and immediate consideration”.
He said medical interns form an essential part of the healthcare delivery system and shoulder significant responsibilities in hospitals during their compulsory internship.
“These young doctors routinely work long and demanding hours, including 36-hour shifts, attending to patients and performing their duties with dedication and commitment,” Karra said.
The Congress leader pointed out that the stipend paid to medical interns in J&K was considerably lower than that offered in several other parts of the country.
“When interns elsewhere are being provided better financial support for comparable responsibilities and working hours, the demand of our medical interns for a reasonable enhancement in stipend merits serious consideration,” he said.
Karra urged Omar Abdullah to direct the concerned authorities to engage with the protesting interns, hear their grievances and work towards an early and satisfactory resolution.
He said a positive government intervention would not only address a legitimate concern of the medical fraternity but also boost the morale of young doctors who contribute significantly to the functioning of hospitals and healthcare institutions.
According to comparative figures circulated by the protesting interns, Odisha has the highest monthly stipend at Rs 44,319, followed by West Bengal at Rs 43,099 and Assam at Rs 35,000.
Karnataka provides Rs 30,000, while Kerala offers Rs 27,300 and Delhi and Meghalaya Rs 26,300 each. Telangana provides Rs 25,900, while Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh offer Rs 25,000.
Tamil Nadu's stipend is listed at around Rs 25,000, followed by Haryana at Rs 24,310 and Andhra Pradesh at around Rs 21,840. Gujarat, Bihar, Goa and Himachal Pradesh provide around Rs 20,000, while Puducherry offers Rs 18,000.
Karra expressed hope that the government would prioritise the matter and take necessary steps to provide medical interns in Jammu and Kashmir a meaningful stipend hike in line with their responsibilities and prevailing rates in other parts of the country.
