Letter from State Secretary

Dr K.Senthil M.D. (Gen)

State Secretary, 
Tamilnadu Government Doctors’ Association

3rd March 2009

Dear friends,

Best Wishes and greetings.

Thanks for your cooperation in all our past efforts in demanding the Pay / Promotion Parity with the central govt. doctors and in all the other issues.

But now it is time to give our best efforts. Show our Unity.

Pay and Promotion parity is not just the salary part alone. It is our right. When the central govt. doctors and neighboring state doctors have better pay and working atmosphere, we after bringing our state to the top in India, claim our due.

It is time to show our solidarity. Right from the junior most assistant surgeon joined under 10a1 rule or a mobile scheme or under HSP / compulsory post PG postings (all those recruited under Tamilnadu Medical Service) to the senior most Professor or Senior Civil Surgeons and to the cadre of Directors – every one should join the agitation.

Unity is strength. Unity is victory.

No matter your position is. Not regularized, Not declared probation, not cleared special TNPSC, about to retire, due for promotion – it is your duty join the agitation. Every time; in 1986, 1996 – we were not given the due. Now, it is a life time agitation.

Right from our respected Health Minister of TN, Health Secretary, Union Health Minister, most political parties support our rightful cause. Our minister assured for rectification of the pay disparity in the floor of the assembly. But from confidential sources we learn that no suggestions were agreed upon for us by the Pay Committee.

The central govt. doctors are getting lot more salary than our state counterparts. They are getting Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) – recommended exclusively for doctors by the V and VI Pay Commission – ie promotion in 4, 9 and 13 years. Vacancy based promotion only beyond the existing scale of 14300. This they get from 1996 through the V Pay Commission.

We demand this status after 12 years; before the next Pay Commission; after bringing the health care delivery system in our state to the top in the country.

No where in a democratic country were the members penalized for a legitimate agitation, to press their demands. Even those punished by the previous govt. have all cleared of all the charges. So, do not hesitate. This agitation is for you, for us. Join and involve yourselves.

We are not politically inclined. Any govt. is equal to us. But, all along, govt. doctors were given the best possible offers only during the governance of the present CM. During our last pay commission struggle in 1998, we were given 2000 senior civil surgeons posts by the present CM. We were given the “Hospital Protection Act” and “G.O. issuing the protocol to be followed to arrest doctors for any hospital deaths” were all given by the present CM.

This time either we have not reached him or not reached him properly.

Please think. This is very important. Everything else is next. Please sink all differences if any amongst us; be it personal or otherwise.

All the district office bearers are requested to form an “action committee” to coordinate the agitation. Active members are requested to enroll themselves with the district office bearers and help them in coordinating the agitation.

We insist on rectification of anomalies in the Pay and promotion opportunities before implementing the VI Pay commission.

The exclusive recommendation for doctors – the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) available to the central govt. doctors since 1996 should be granted to the Tamilnadu doctors before fixing their pay slab in the VI Pay Commission. If not we may loose lot of benefits. Govt. has many commitments. Unless we ask, we may not get it.

Junior doctors should be very responsive to this call. TNGDA has always been special to them. Be it – a special TNPSC, 2 years PG eligibility, second special TNPSC, we are there to help them. Now it is your duty to reciprocate. Join the agitation.

IF NOT NOW WE MAY HAVE TO WAIT ATLEAST A DECADE. BETTER NOW.

Time to quote our past State President’s words:

“nalla padaigal illatha thalaivanum, nalla thalaivan illatha padagalum vettri pettrathillai”.

Best wishes…
Senthil