State hikes stipend for resident docs

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Government on Wednesday decided to hike the stipend of resident doctors in Government medical colleges in the state.

The resident doctors, under the forum of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), had early this year resorted to a strike to demand better wages.

Addressing a press conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said the first year students-cum-resident doctors in government and Ayurveda colleges will get Rs 12,504 per month in terms of stipend, dearness allowance (DA) and other allowances as against the present amount of Rs 9,405 per month.

In the second year, they will get Rs 12,686 as against the present Rs 9,405 and in the third year, they will get Rs 12,867 as against the present Rs 9,747 per month.

Deshmukh said senior resident doctors and students would get Rs 13,937 per month in the first year. While in the second and third year, the amount would be Rs 14,481 and Rs 15,026 respectively.

Deshmukh said postgraduate dental students will get Rs 8,330 in the first year, Rs 9,056 in the second year and Rs 10,145 in the third year. The decision would come into effect from March 1, 2006. The Government will incur a burden of Rs 11 crore for implementing the decision, he said.