Gujarat Medical Teachers demanding higher NPA to resume strike from January 16

Operating under the banner of Gujarat Medical Teachers Association (GMTA), the faculty members of colleges have been demanding higher non-practising allowance in line with the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations along with several other demands.

The doctors are also facing problems with their DA, promotion, and recruitment of permanent faculty members. GMTA demanded that medical college teachers should be allowed to continue the private practice after 10 years of regular service. GMTA referred to a government resolution of 2017 and sought an increase in the cap on the monthly salary.

Previously Medical Dialogues reported that the doctors of Gujarat Medical Teachers Association (GMTA), the faculty members from six government colleges, and eight Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) colleges were supposed to go on infinite strike from December 13th. The doctors also protested against the recently implemented salary cut initiated by the government. GMTA took out rallies in different cities of the state on 4th December.

In 2012 government stated that Rs 85000 is going to be the upper celling pay. The state government can't touch the basic pay or NPA. Hence, they decided to give the financial allowances in form of personal pay. The government gave a dearness allowance for about five months but then recovered the money paid from the salaries of professors. Hence, the doctors started protesting against the government and demanded non-practicing allowance in line with the Seventh Pay Commission recommendation.

Talking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Rajnish Patel, President of GMTA stated, " I were supposed to start boycotting work in December but we decided to hold meetings with the Health Ministry and other concerned authorities to resolve the issue. We are doctors and not rebels so our responsibility is mostly towards patients. So we decided to give some time to the authorities. However, after several meetings, we failed to secure any solution and we are left with no choice but to boycott work for our rightful demands."

" Now if all the doctors attached to government medical colleges all over the state decide to boycott work altogether, it will be impossible for the state to ensure healthcare and authorities will be responsible for that. We will request the authorities to consider our demands so that we are not forced to trod down a path we don't want to", added the doctor.