MARD warns of protests over late stipends
The doctors alleged that the government had fooled them by giving false assurances.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) recently had a telephonic discussion and has written a letter to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) director on the issue of pending stipends. Doctors from Nagpur, Latur, Ambejogai, and Aurangabad have not received payment for the past several months.
The doctors alleged that the government had fooled them by giving false assurances and if their demands were not met, they might resort to mass bunking.
In a letter to the DMER on Thursday, the MARD warned authorities of a strike by resident doctors of government medical colleges in Latur and Ambejogai over delay in payment of stipend, and protests in Mumbai to show solidarity with the doctors from peripheral medical colleges in the state.
“The administration at every level is saying that stipends will remain locked. A few colleges are not getting permission to release the PLA fund, while others have no funds to release (stipend) from anywhere. The ministry should release some funds from their loaded pockets. We will return them, once we get our stipends,” the letter reads.
Dr Kalyani Dongre, president, Central MARD said, “Every time the administration has fooled us by giving false assurances. We in Mum-bai will protest like we did the last time by setting up fruit stalls. While a strike call has been given by the two colleges, protests will take place across the state and we will support them.”
Dr Tatyarao Lahane, director, DMER, said, “We are probing the matter of salary delay. I will personally speak to all students to understand their problems. There are some issues which I have forwarded to the concerned department and an assertive reply is awaited in a few days.”