J&K MBBS Interns Put Strike on Hold for One Month After Sakina Itoo’s Assurance
Srinagar, KNT: MBBS interns across Jammu and Kashmir have put their ongoing strike on hold for one month following an assurance from Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo that the issue of stipend enhancement would be finalized within the given timeframe, All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA) J&K President Dr Mohammad Momin Khan said on Tuesday.
Dr Khan expressed gratitude to Sakina Itoo for giving the interns one month’s time to finalise the stipend hike issue and thanked all those who supported the protesting intern doctors during the agitation.
The development comes after the interns had remained on strike since August 31, demanding enhancement of their monthly stipend from the existing Rs 12,300 to Rs 30,000. The agitation had spread across government medical colleges and dental institutions in Jammu and Kashmir
The decision to put the strike on hold follows renewed discussions between intern representatives and the Health Minister. During an earlier meeting, Itoo had sought one month from the interns to address the issue, with the government stating that the proposal was under process and involved financial implications requiring consideration by the Finance Department.
The interns had initially rejected the proposed one-month timeline and continued their agitation, insisting that the stipend enhancement be formally notified through a government order
The protest had subsequently intensified, with interns at SKIMS Medical College, Bemina announcing a 48-hour hunger strike on September 7 after the absence of a formal order on the stipend revision.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also said the issue should be resolved at the earliest, while Health Minister Sakina Itoo had maintained that the interns’ demand was genuine and that the matter was being processed by the government.
With the strike now put on hold for one month, the focus shifts to the government’s processing of the stipend proposal and its formal decision on the enhancement sought by the interns
Dr Khan also thanked all individuals and organizations who extended support to the intern doctors during their agitation. [KNT]
