Srinagar, Sep 1,: MBBS interns across Jammu and Kashmir continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, pressing the government to revise their monthly internship stipend to ₹30,000.
The interns held peaceful demonstrations at medical institutions across the Union Territory, reiterating their demand for a substantial revision in the stipend and implementation of the pending demand.
The agitation continued despite Health Minister Sakina Itoo stating that the interns’ demand was genuine and that the proposal for an increase had already been processed and forwarded to the Finance Department for examination of its financial implications.
The protesting interns, however, have maintained that repeated assurances have failed to bring any concrete decision and have decided to continue their agitation until the stipend is actually revised.
The interns have argued that the existing stipend does not adequately reflect the workload, responsibilities and clinical services performed by them during their internship.
The second day of protests saw interns carrying placards and raising slogans in support of their demand, while calling upon the government to take a time-bound decision on the pending stipend revision.
The interns have also maintained that their agitation is not directed against patients or healthcare services, but is aimed at seeking what they describe as a fair and dignified stipend for the work performed during their internship. [KNT]
