Doctors, owing allegiance to the Bihar State Health Services Association, have decided to go ahead with their move to seek mass voluntary retirement if the state government failed to meet their demands, including the implementation of central pay scales, within a time frame.
"The association has so far procured VRS applications from 1,175 doctors and is likely to intensify this move after June 7," convenor Dr Ajay Kumar told PTI in Delhi.
Kumar said the doctors were on 'work to rule' agitation since June 1 in support of their demands, including the implementation of central pay scales and fixation of working hours among others.
"We are on work-to-rule agitation and are discharging our duties for eight hours a day, but our move to collect more applications for VRS from doctors would continue," he said.
However, state Health Minister Chandra Mohan Rai has renewed his appeal to the doctors to end their agitation and not force the government to accept their VRS applications.
"We are considering central pay scales for doctors in Bihar as we are sensitive to their demands," he said.