Pay hike: Govt docs to stage demonstration, day-long fast

Under the Government Order (GO) 354, doctors were to get pay hikes after completion of 5, 9, 11, and 12 years of service instead of the present 8, 15, 17, and 20 years. Recently, Chief Minister MK Stalin had directed all departments to implement all the GOs within a specified time. 

However, the salary of pay band 4 at 12 years fixed in 2009 when late DMK leader M Karunanidhi was the chief minister was yet to be implemented, said representatives of government doctors, noting that they were drawing the lowest salary when compared to other states.

“As the long-pending demands have not been addressed by the government even after repeated representations to the Health Minister and Secretary, we have decided to hold agitations bring the issue to the attention of the Chief Minister. We will organise a demonstration in Madurai on October 22 and a one-day fast in Chennai on November 10,” said Dr S Perumal Pillai, president, Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors.

Once an order is issued, the government should either implement or withdraw it instead of keeping it on prolonged suspension, said the doctors. The authorities were not even any oral assurance as the hike would meant an annual additional outgo of Rs 360 crore. 

“But we are earning Rs 4,000 crore for the government through Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. The government can allot the required fund for the pay hike from this money,” said Dr Syed Thahir Hussain, secretary of the coordination committee.

When asked, a senior official said the government was not able to implement the hike for doctors due to the financial crisis brought about by the pandemic.