BJP seeks hike in AYUSH stipends

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

BJP Telangana State President N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday demanded that the State government immediately raise the stipends of AYUSH PG doctors and house surgeons on par with their Allopathy counterparts and clear all pending arrears.

Rao made the demand after visiting the relay hunger strike by AYUSH PG students and house surgeons at Dr. B.R.K.R. Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Erragadda. The students have been protesting for the past 16 days seeking a hike in stipends.

Rao alleged that AYUSH students pursuing Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy were being discriminated against despite performing duties comparable to Allopathy doctors. He recalled that a 2006 government order in united Andhra Pradesh provided for parity between AYUSH and Allopathy students, but alleged that the benefit had effectively been halted in Telangana since 2016.

He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh was paying Rs.60,000 per month to AYUSH PG students and Rs.25,000 to house surgeons, while Telangana was paying only Rs.30,000 and Rs.13,000 respectively.

Rao said the courts had also upheld the entitlement of AYUSH PG students, house surgeons and interns to stipends on par with Allopathy students. He questioned why Telangana was not following the practice adopted by its neighbouring State.

He urged the Congress government to resolve the issue immediately and pay the pending arrears. Rao warned that the BJP would intensify its agitation in support of the protesting AYUSH doctors if the government failed to act.