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Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 30 (IANS) The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) has accused the state government of ignoring the long-pending demands of medical college doctors, even as the Cabinet announced several welfare measures in its latest meeting.
The association on Thursday said the continued neglect of medical college doctors – who shoulder both patient care and teaching responsibilities – is “extremely unjust” and threatened to launch an indefinite strike if the government failed to intervene.
KGMCTA said that despite repeated assurances, none of its major demands have been addressed.
These include removing anomalies in the entry-level pay structure, clearing the dues from the 2016 pay revision, creating new teaching and medical posts in recently established colleges, improving hospital infrastructure, releasing pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears and removing the “unfair” pension cap imposed on state-paid faculty.
The association pointed out that pay discrepancies affecting assistant professors have made government service unattractive, leading young doctors to move to the private sector.
Although the 2016 pay revision was implemented late in 2020, the arrears have not been paid, while other state employees have received their full dues.
“It is extremely regrettable that doctors who risked their lives during the Covid crisis and brought glory to the state have been completely ignored,” the statement said.
KGMCTA also criticized the government’s failure to approve new posts in medical colleges in Kasaragod and Wayanad.
“Despite repeated government promises, files related to creation of posts have been gathering dust in the health and finance departments for more than a year,” it said.
The association said imposing a pension cap in line with the state scale – while medical college doctors draw salaries on the central scale – was “unjust and demoralizing”.
Warning of strict action, the KGMCTA said its Central Executive Committee will meet soon to decide on an indefinite strike if the government continues its indifference.
–IANS
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