Post-RGK, Didi hikes docs’ stipends by up to ₹25,000

Post-RGK, Didi hikes docs’ stipends by up to ₹25,000

Sumati.Yengkhom@timesofindia.com 25.02.2025

Kolkata : Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a slew of benefits for doctors, while outlining her administration’s expectations from them, at her first conclave with health professionals since Aug 2024 rapemurder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital. Banerjee, who addressed 4,000 healthcare workers, announced significant hikes in stipends — ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 — for junior and senior resident doctors working at state-run hospitals. She also increased the private-practice distance cap for state ser vice doctors. They can now conduct private practice up to 30km from their workplace — up from existing cap of 20km.

In another decision, the govt scrapped the suspension of seven Midnapore Medical College & Hospital junior doctors (which followed the death of a mother after a C-sec delivery). The CM also outlined her expectations from the community: doctors should spend at least eight hours at workplace and seniors should not leave patient care, including C-section deliveries, to juniors. Doctors should not have any “political colour”; and they should rise above politics and have “only one colour (humanity)”, she said.