Srinagar, Oct 15: The prolonged demand for stipend enhancement of MBBS and BDS interns in Jammu and Kashmir has once again hit a roadblock after the Finance Department returned the file, even though it had already been approved by Health Minister Sakina Itoo.
Official sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust, the issue dates back to June 2023, when a dedicated Stipend Enhancement Committee was formed to review the low stipends paid to medical interns in the Union Territory, among the lowest in the country. Despite repeated assurances, no final decision has been implemented.
In November 2024, the Finance Department had raised queries on the proposal, which were later addressed by the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department after nearly eleven months of detailed examination. The file was vetted and approved by both the Secretary H&ME and the Health Minister.
However, officials said the Finance Department has once again returned the file, citing “incomplete inputs,” effectively undoing months of procedural work. The move has triggered anger among medical interns, who have accused the government of “endless bureaucratic loops” and “apathy towards healthcare professionals.”
A representative of the interns said, “It is unfortunate that despite the Hon’ble Health Minister’s approval, the file keeps getting tossed between departments without accountability. The future of hundreds of young doctors is being played with for no reason.”
Interns have appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene and direct the Finance Department to issue final approval without further delay. “We are not asking for favors; we are demanding fairness. Eleven months is too long for a simple approval,” another intern said.
The students termed the delay as a “classic example of bureaucratic negligence” and said it reflects a lack of coordination between departments. They urged the administration to expedite the process and end the uncertainty surrounding their stipends.
Medical interns across J&K, who have been working in hospitals under tough conditions, now await a swift resolution so that their long-pending stipend enhancement can finally be implemented. [KNT]
