West Bengal CM Raises Doctors' Salaries, Calls for Female Safety Measures After RG Kar Case
Mamata Banerjee announces pay hikes for government doctors, stricter hospital security, and a new law targeting sexual violence following the RG Kar Hospital tragedy.
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced salary increases for government doctors, including a ₹10,000 stipend hike for interns and postgraduate trainees and ₹15,000 for senior resident doctors.
- The announcement comes six months after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, which sparked national outrage and ongoing protests for justice.
- Banerjee emphasized stricter hospital security, including appointing ex-servicemen, expanding police surveillance, and installing watch towers to prevent future crimes.
- The state government introduced the Aparajita Bill, proposing capital punishment for rape convicts, as part of its response to the RG Kar case.
- While some doctors welcomed the salary hikes, others expressed disappointment, citing unresolved issues like corruption, recruitment transparency, and workplace grievances.