Vet students end strike after finance min’s assurance

The 34-day-long strike by veterinary students of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, concluded following an official meeting with Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

During the meeting, the minister assured the students that the internship stipend for veterinary interns would be increased from ?15,000 to ?22,000 per month on a par with BDS and MBBS interns of the state.

He further committed that an official notification confirming the enhancement would be issued before November 12.

The meeting was also attended by senior government officials, including Rahul Bhandari, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry; Sarvjit Singh, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Welfare; Shawkat Ahmad, Special Secretary, Finance; Dr Paramdeep Singh Walia, Director, Animal Husbandry Department; and Dr Jatinderpaul Singh Gill, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU.

Students were represented by Dr Avneet Jassal, Dr Kamalpreet Singh, Dr Sunil Momi and Dr Muskan Thakur, who conveyed that the decision to call off the protest was made following the formal assurance from the Finance Minister and attending officials.