Bangalore: Medical officers in the State had threatened to submit mass resignation on October 27 demanding their salary to be paid every month on time and meet other pending demands, following which the doctors in the city protested on Thursday October 23.
The Karnataka State Medical Officers Association T.A. Veerabhadraiah had earlier said that the State government has not paid salaries of medical officers for the last four months. They have also not paid salary for nearly six months to the Ayurvedic doctors who have been appointed across the state for monitoring health of school children.
Around hundreds of doctors got down on the street, during the festive season and threatened that more than 3,000 medical officers will submit their resignations if action is not taken within one month.
The agitators also demanded that the doctors working on contract at different government hospitals should be paid Rs. 28,000 per month along with other allowances. His/her services should be made permanent after three years. The service during the period of contract should be considered for the purpose of pension, promotion and retirement, they urged.
It is learnt that presently salary for medical officers and other personnel coming under the Department of Health and Family Welfare was being paid through the respective Zilla Panchayats. “Money gets released to the Zilla Panchayat and from there to us. We want the Government to directly pay the salary to us,” he said. Moreover there was a big difference in the salaries of doctors under the Medical Education Department and the Family Welfare Department.
However the Health Minister U.T. Khader addressing the agitation said that things will be sorted soon, and the doctors do not need to resign for such a small issue, he said, “We will hold a discussions with the association, but if they are adamant to resign then we cannot help it.”
Regarding delay in payment of salary, Khader said a system has been evolved to pay salaries through Zilla Panchayat. “We cannot change it. So far none have brought to my notice about delay in payment of salary which can be addressed.”
