Junior doctors in Telangana threaten protests over stipend delays

Junior doctors in Telangana have threatened protests over repeated stipend delays, saying many are unable to pay rent, fees, or meet basic needs. TJUDA accused the Finance Department of stalling payments and demanded a fixed monthly schedule and accountability.

Hyderabad: Trouble for the State government in the health sector continues with junior doctors in Telangana on Wednesday expressing ‘serious concern over the continued and inexcusable delays in stipend disbursement’.

Failure to address our issues will force medicos and allied health professionals to consider launching protests and collective action, Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA), which represents junior doctors, senior residents, super specialities, dental postgraduates, house surgeons, and nursing students across the state, said.

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“Many of us are struggling to meet basic needs such as food, rent, and transportation . Some are unable to pay examination fees, and several families dependent on these stipends are under immense stress due to the delay,” TJUDA said.

Multiple representations have already been submitted to the State government requesting timely stipend release without the need for repeated follow-ups. This was was promised to TJUDA during the previous strike notice, yet every month the association has to follow up multiple times at multiple levels, medicos said.

Despite the timely submission of stipend bills by Heads of Institutions under the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), approvals remain stalled in the Finance Department, leaving front-line medical professionals unpaid on time as promised by the government and pushing many junior doctors into financial crisis, TJUDA said.

TJUDA demands:

* Immediate release of all pending stipends with arrears.

* Empowering DME to directly disburse stipends to avoid bureaucratic delays.

* Implementation of a fixed, time-bound monthly schedule for stipends

* Establish clear accountability mechanisms.