Uttarakhand: Doon Medical College staff yet to receive their salaries

Dehradun: New year hasn't brought much cheer for the faculty and other staff of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) for they have been doing without their salaries for the past two months. Worst still, the wait might be extended for another two months, the authorities have informed. The salaries have not been dispersed due to unavailability of necessary budget.

All faculty positions at Doon Medical College except for those of Principal and Medical Superintendent(MS), Associated Hospital, have been given away on contractual basis. The salary issue has gradually acquired larger dimensions, due to the constant delay on the part of the government in making budget provisions.

On the other hand, the situation is quite the opposite in the case of doctors of Provincial Medical Health Services (PMHS) working in the associated hospital.They have been receiving their salaries on time. The contrast in the two situations has led to antagonism among the new faculty.

"We were told by the college administration in the month of December itself that there would a long wait for next salary as there is no budget left. The delay has smashed the financial planning of my house. I had to burrow money from my parents to pay the school fees of my children. The constant delays in the salary is causing disillusionment among the staff members and many have started searching for better options,'' said a staff members.

Dr. Ashutosh Sayana Director Medical Education, in a conversation with the Pioneer revealed that salaries of the regular workers, contractual workers and outsource workers is disbursed under different heads. He confirmed that though the budget was available with the department, contractual worker salaries could not be given away from money available under other heads. A process of re-appropriation is required for transfer of funds from one head to another, he further added. He also revealed that the re-appropriation process was being started and the disbursement of salaries to contractual workers would take place soon.

The college at present has 60 Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors. The GDMC has recruited Professors on a fixed monthly salary of Rs 1.23 lakh, Associate Professor on Rs 1.10 lakh and Assistant Professor on Rs 95,000. Similarly the senior resident are paid a remuneration of Rs 65,000 while the salary of a junior resident is Rs. 47,000. The salary agreement of the Doon medical college per month is Rs. 1.71 crore.