Haryana government accepts demands, striking doctors return to duty

Chandigarh: Government doctors ended their indefinite strike on Saturday following assurances from the Haryana government that their demands would be accepted, the chief of the association leading the shutdown said.

The doctors resumed their duties after the strike was called off.

The shutdown was lifted following a meeting between representatives of the protesting doctors and Amit Aggarwal -- additional principal secretary to the Haryana chief minister -- late on Friday, Haryana Civil Medical Services Association president Dr Rajesh Khyalia said.

"We have called off the strike," he said.

The government has accepted the doctors' demands and assured to notify those before August 15, he added.

The doctors are demanding a career progression scheme that ensures parity with their central government peers, reduction in the bond amount for admission to postgraduate courses from Rs 1 crore to Rs 50 lakh and formation of a specialist cadre for them.

Around 3,000 government doctors had gone on an indefinite strike on Thursday to press the state government to accept their demands. The strike hit medical services in state-run hospitals of Haryana.

A series of meetings were held between the representatives of the association and the state government to end the stalemate. Among those who represented the government in these meetings were Rajesh Khullar, chief principal secretary to the chief minister, and Sudhir Rajpal -- the additional chief secretary (health).

The association called for a shutdown of health services in government hospitals as a mark of protest over non-fulfilment of their demands.