Doctors wear black badges to protest grade pay cut in Himachal

Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 3

On the call of Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association, doctors worked wearing black badges today in several hospitals across the state to protest the deduction in grade pay of contractual medical officers.

“These young doctors received a deducted pay today, so we started our protest as planned,” said Dr Pushpender Verma, secretary of the association. “They had been receiving 150 per cent of the grade pay until the start of this year. In January, it was withdrawn by the government without citing any clear reason,” said Verma.

Claiming that all contractual employees in the state get the incentive, Verma said it was absolutely unfair to withdraw it in case of young doctors. “All these youngsters are in the forefront of the fight against coronavirus. They work under most stressful conditions, haven’t been home for months and this is what they get in return,” said Verma.

Verma lamented calling doctors coronavirus warriors and appreciating their role in the fight against the pandemic meant nothing if the government could not pay them their proper salary.

“We have received support letters from various medical colleges and our protest will become more widespread,” he said, adding they would begin pen down strike for a week from August 9.