City nurses in Delhi face a considerable salary disparity between those employed in government-run hospitals under the Delhi government and their counterparts in central government-run hospitals. Despite a direction issued by the Central Government in 2022 requiring all states and union territories to pay nursing interns a monthly stipend of Rs 13,500, the discrepancy persists.
Nursing interns in metropolitan hospitals earn a paltry monthly remuneration of Rs. 500, prompting worries among healthcare experts. Anita Panwar, President of the All-India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF), highlighted the sharp contrast and linked it to a schism between the Centre and the municipal government, which resulted in discrimination against nursing interns.
Panwar underlined that, while the stipend for nursing interns at city hospitals has remained unchanged at Rs 500 for the past 40 years, medical and dental students have seen an increase of Rs 30,000. This large salary disparity is especially noticeable in a few center-run organizations. The Delhi administration claims it did not receive the circular about the stipend increase from the central government and maintains it lacks jurisdiction over financial concerns pertaining to salaries and allowances.
The nurse associations have expressed their concerns to the Union Health Ministry, requesting assistance with the problem. In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the AIGNF stated that the higher stipend for nursing students is only applicable to central government institutes. They voiced worry over the discrepancy in stipends among nursing interns at the same university and urged the union minister to address the matter.
Despite two years since the Central government's direction, the Delhi government has yet to follow the decision, prompting discontent among nursing professionals. The AIGNF's statement stated that stipend increase choices are normally executed nationwide, but nursing students appear to be an exception.
Recently, the Centre issued an order mandating all colleges to increase the stipend for medical and dental interns to Rs. 30,000. Nursing interns, on the other hand, continue to experience discriminatory treatment, especially in institutes financed by the central or local governments.
The nursing community is hoping that the Union health minister will listen to their concerns and facilitate a solution to bridge the pay gap, providing fair and equal compensation for nursing interns across the city's institutions. The recurrence of this issue raises concerns about the efficient implementation of government instructions as well as the necessity for collaboration at various administrative levels to protect healthcare professionals' rights and welfare.
Input from various sources.
(Rehash/Susmita Bhandary/MSM)