Trichy doctors stage protest demanding pay parity

TRICHY: Around 300 doctors associated with various organisations staged a demonstration in front of government hospitals in and around Trichy on Monday demanding pay parity with their counterparts in central government services.
Doctors from various associations staged protests under the collective banner of the Joint Action Committee – Government Doctors Association (JAC - GDA) in front of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH), Srirangam Government Hospital, Lalgudi Government Hospital and others. Apart from pay parity, they also demanded a promotional structure similar to that of central government doctors.

The protesters said their previous demonstration on July 5, when they put forth the same demands to the state government, had borne no fruit and that’s why they were holding a widespread agitation again.

Trichy president of the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) Dr S Srihari said while the central government doctors would receive pay band – 4 on 13 years of service, doctors in the state would receive it only after 20 years of service.

“We have more workload than the central government doctors. But when it comes to pay, there is severe disparity. While a few other state governments have addressed this issue, our government hasn’t done it yet,” the doctor alleged.

State treasurer of SDPGA Dr T Aruleeswaran said due to the variation in pay structure, central government doctors earn Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 more than their state counterparts.