Key Points

In a press release, underscoring the Aam Aadmi Party-led government's unwavering commitment to bolstering the education and health sectors, Cheema on Thursday announced an increase in the monthly stipends for interns, Junior Residents, and Senior Residents across government medical and dental colleges in the state.

Finance Minister Cheema said that there are currently 907 sanctioned intern posts, 1408 for junior residents, and 754 for senior residents within Punjab's government medical and dental colleges.

He said, "The stipend for interns has been substantially raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 22,000 per month. For Junior Residents, the new stipend structure will see a rise from the current Rs 67,968 per month to Rs 76,000 in the first year, Rs 77,000 in the second year, and Rs 78,000 in the third year. Similarly, Senior Residents will experience an increase from their current Rs 81,562 per month to Rs 92,000 in the first year, Rs 93,000 in the second year, and Rs 94,000 in the third year."

Finance Minister Cheema reiterated the state government's dedication to allocating ample resources for education and health sectors. He said that the annual expenditure on these stipends, currently Rs 204.96 crore, will escalate to Rs 238.18 crore following this enhancement, representing an estimated annual increase of Rs 33.22 crore.

The Finance Minister affirmed the Punjab government's resolve to enhance healthcare facilities throughout the state. He also mentioned the recent initiative to provide insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh to every citizen, further emphasizing the government's focus on public welfare. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured that there will be no scarcity of funds for the continued development and improvement of healthcare infrastructure and services in Punjab.

- ANI