Ex-DPH Dr G Srinivasa Rao Demands AYUSH Doctor Stipend Hike at Indira Park

Former Director of Public Health (DPH) in Telangana, Dr G Srinivasa Rao, on Thursday called on the State government to immediately increase the stipends of AYUSH doctors and clear their long-pending arrears. Speaking at a demonstration at Indira Park Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad, Dr Rao voiced strong support for the ongoing protest fast being conducted by the Telangana AYUSH House Surgeons and Postgraduates Joint Action Committee (JAC), pointing to severe financial disparities between allopathy and AYUSH medical personnel.

Dr Rao, who serves as a member of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) Telangana Medical Wing, emphasized that the financial difficulties faced by AYUSH medicos have intensified due to escalating living costs. He noted that monthly stipends for AYUSH house surgeons and postgraduate students have stagnated for more than ten years without any revision by the government, creating a sharp imbalance compared to their counterparts in allopathy medicine.

Highlighting the vast gap in monthly compensation, Dr Rao shared specific payment figures comparing the two streams of medicine. According to Dr Rao, allopathy interns currently draw a monthly stipend of Rs 29,792, whereas AYUSH house surgeons receive just Rs 13,754 per month. He added that a similar disparity exists at the postgraduate level, where allopathy postgraduates receive up to Rs 74,782 per month while AYUSH postgraduates receive only a fraction of that amount.

To resolve the issue, the former DPH demanded that the State government issue an official Government Order (GO) without delay to equalize the stipends of AYUSH house surgeons and postgraduates with those of allopathy doctors. He further insisted that the government clear all accrued stipend arrears owed to the junior doctors.

In addition to revising the stipend structure and releasing back pay, Dr Rao urged the State government to establish a dedicated 'Green Channel' system. He stated that a 'Green Channel' is necessary to ensure that monthly stipend payments are processed smoothly and disbursed on time to AYUSH house surgeons and postgraduates across Telangana in the future.