Chandigarh (Media Bureau) Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Biba Harsimrat Kaur Badal today demanded to provide adequate scholarships to the medical interns of Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur. He asked the state and central government to intervene in the matter and resolve the problems of medical professionals immediately.
In a letter to the Union Health Minister and the Secretary of the High Level Committee on Public Grievances and Suggestions, Mrs. Badal apprised them of the financial problems faced by the Medical Interns of Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur. He said that the interns had approached the Union Minister and told him that he was not being given any scholarship to work as a medical intern in a medical college, which was a flagrant violation of the basic guidelines issued by the Medical Council of India in this regard. Mrs. Badal said that this problem should be solved immediately as these interns were helping the government in the fight against Covid-19.
In her letter, a copy of which has also been sent to Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister OP Soni, Badal emphasized that the demoralization of our medical staff in this hour of crisis would prove fatal for the state. He said that the problems of these medical interns should be solved immediately as they are risking their lives to save us from Kovid-19. He said that earlier the interns of Government Medical College Amritsar had also raised the issue of low stipend which was increased by the state government from Rs.9000 to Rs.15000 per month.
Demanding a stipend of Rs.15,000 per month for the medical interns of Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, Badal said that it was unfortunate that the Punjab Government and the Medical Colleges were charging much higher fees than the neighboring States and Central Institutions. Interns are not getting very low stipends or stipends at all. He said that the state and central government should take stern action against the private medical colleges which were committing such scams. He said that interns should not be exploited and they should be encouraged for the services they are rendering.
