BENGALURU: The Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) has warned that its members will abstain from work from August 31 if the government does not meet their demands.
The demands include hike in stipends and incorporating dearness allowance.
KARD representatives told reporters on Monday that their stipends have not been increased for three-and-a-half years. “The government pays a consolidated stipend of Rs 15,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 to house surgeons, post-graduate students and super-speciality residents respectively. This is too less as we have to pay for our academic expenses, research activities and textbooks, which cost a lot. We also have to attend national and state conferences and bear the expenses,” a representative said.
The members want the stipends to be increased to Rs 20,000, Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively.
“In fact, our counterparts in other states are getting much more than us. Resident doctors in the state (Karnataka) are the least paid in the country. MBBS doctors are getting Rs 60,000 a month. We already have that qualification, and yet we have to face this disparity,” he added.