PGI doctors protest low wages

CHANDIGARH, Jan 14: Tired of the "step-motherly treatment", doctors at the PGI, today, reported on duty wearing black badges in protest against the low wages. The doctors have also decided to join hands with their counterparts in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and participate in a rally to be held in Delhi on January 18.

A 250-member general body of the PGI Faculty Association that met today took the decision to participate in the rally. Meanwhile, the faculty members wore black badges in silent protest. A new pay scheme had been suggested by a committee headed by the Union Health Secretary K. K. Baxi. "The recommendations of even this committee which offered better pay scales than the Fifth Pay Commission are not acceptable to us. However, a compromise could have been made by effecting certain changes in the recommendations," said Professor Jaswant Rai, president of the executive body of the association.

The doctors protested as even the recommendations of the Baxi Committee had been "turned" down by the Finance Secretary. The doctors presently are drawing their salary according to the scales recommended by the Fourth Pay Commission.

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Another objection is the fixing of NPA at 25 per cent of the basic pay, the same as given to all doctors of the Central Health Services. "This way we’re being equated with all other doctors of the country which is not fair. In addition there is a bar that the gross emoluments should not exceed Rs 29,500," say faculty members.

"The apathy of the government is a major setback to our morale and it is hoped that our peaceful protest will draw attention of the government towards our plight and prevent the exodus of talent from this prime institute to the corporate sector which is otherwise imminent,"said Dr Awasthy.