Rajasthan doctors end 7-day strike after talks with government

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Jaipur: Doctors in Rajasthan on Saturday ended their strike after successful talks with the Vasundhara Raje government.

Rajasthan Health Minister Kali Charan Saraf held a meeting with a five-member delegation representing the doctors.

With doctors calling off their agitation, the Rajasthan government had a sigh of relief as the health services in four districts of Rajasthan had taken a plunge after over 8,000 government doctors in Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar districts went on strike on November 6 over various demands.

14 protesting doctors were arrested under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA), following which 100 other agitating doctors agreed to resume work.

One of the major demands of the doctors was for higher pay scale and promotions.

The 33 long-pending demands by the doctors of the state include the formation of a separate cadre for in-service doctors, Rs 10,000 grade pay benefit for doctors, and running government health centres in a single shift, among others.

More than 640 doctors in service and about 350 resident doctors from the Kota region along with the others in the state are on strike for last six days.