Resident doctors go on strike in Maharashtra

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Hundreds of resident doctors serving at the state government-run hospitals in Maharashtra went on strike on Thursday over demands including a hike in stipend, reported news agency PTI.

Emergency services will not be affected by the strike, said the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), while deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar made a fresh appeal to the doctors not to press with the agitation, reported PTI.

Resident doctors go on strike: The demands

The doctors' demands included immediate grant of funds needed for construction and repairs of hostels, regularisation of stipend payments with release of pending stipend and arrears, and a Rs 10,000 stipend hike.

After MARD called for a strike earlier this month, Pawar and Medical Education minister Hasan Mushrif had assured that the demands will be met.

"We kept our faith in the government's word and called off our strike multiple times previously despite the distressing situation of resident doctors. Benefit of doubt was always given to the authority and we trusted them to do the right thing in a timely manner....However, regardless of our innumerable pleas, it seems our genuine concerns have fallen on deaf ears," MARD said in a statement, reported PTI.

In a fresh appeal on Thursday, Pawar said the government had assured the doctors that the issue will be resolved after a proposal is placed before the cabinet and passed in the state budget, reported PTI.

MARD, meanwhile, said it will hold another round of meetings with the government's representatives on Friday.

Resident doctors go on strike: Previous strike

Earlier on February 7, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) decided not to go ahead with their strike after a meeting with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who agreed to their demands, reported the PTI.

MARD representatives had a meeting with Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, Pawar and officials of the Medical Education and Drugs Department, as per the PTI.

The Maharashtra government has also agreed to release the monthly payment of stipend henceforth and directed the finance department to release the exact amount of requested funds every month, the MARD said.

The resident doctors had also demanded immediate grant of necessary funds and fast-tracking of all the PWD (public welfare department) work across the state to ensure completion of repairs of existing hostels and initiation of construction of new hostel premises.

MARD had also demanded that arrangements be made to lease out buildings as a temporary substitute for hostels until new infrastructure is built.

(With inputs from PTI)