Vijayawada: Stop TDS deduction from stipend, demand junior doctors

Vijayawada: Junior doctors working in the government hospitals staged a protest on Wednesday demanding the government to stop the deducting the Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) from their stipend.

The junior doctors under the auspices of Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJDA) staged a protest sporting black badges near the medical college on Wednesday and demanded the government to immediately stop collecting the TDS.

The APJDA leaders said the postgraduates and house surgeons are facing hardships with deduction of TDS. The association leaders issued a strike notice on November 30 to the Director of Medical Education explaining their demands and staged a protest on Wednesday.

The APJDA leaders announced the action plan of agitation with protests with black badges on Wednesday. The APJDA will take out a candle light march near medical colleges on December 2, submission of letters to the district collector and higher authorities on December 3 and launch action on social media in the form of twitter storm and mass mailing on December 4.

The APJDA leaders warned of intensifying agitation if their demands are not met by the government.

The association leaders said the outpatient services will be stopped on December 5 and stopping of elective services on December 7 and stopping of emergency services on December 9 if the State government does not concede to their demands.

The association leaders said the junior doctors are not the employers according to Section 10 (16) of Income Tax Act; further the stipends paid it towards meeting the costs of pursuing higher education, any amount in excess of academic expenses even if above the tax slab, is not taxable. The APJDA said neighboring States of Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha who pay higher than Andhra Pradesh are not deducting any tax from the stipends of junior doctors.

The association leaders said the postgraduates and house surgeons are facing problems due to the TDS deduction from the stipend. They recalled earlier representation was given to Health Minister Alla Nani and Health secretary in this regard. They said the assurances given by the higher officials on stopping deduction of TDS from their stipend were not fulfilled.

The APJDA also demanded the government to immediately expedite the efforts for the NEET PG 2021 counselling as well as admission process and to fasttrack the court proceedings on an urgent basis by the Union government and Supreme Court of India. They said the students are eagerly waiting for the PG counseling. JAC leaders Dr P Sai Prasanna Kumar, Dr Annavaram Jeshwanth Reddy, Dr Jangam Jeshwanth and others led the protests.