Srinagar, Aug 31: Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Monday said the demand of MBBS interns for an increase in their monthly stipend was genuine and that the government had initiated the process to examine the proposal.

Speaking to reporters, Itoo said representatives of the interns had already met the government and their demand was subsequently processed.

“We have met them. After meeting them, we have processed their file. The file has been sent to the Finance Department for the financial implications. It is under process,” the minister said.

Itoo urged the protesting interns not to go on strike while the proposal is being examined by the authorities.

“There is no need for them to go on strike,” she said, adding that the government was considering their demand.

The minister described the demand for a stipend revision as genuine but said the proposal involved financial implications that needed to be assessed by the Finance Department before a final decision could be taken.

MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir have been holding peaceful protests seeking revision of their internship stipend.

The interns have demanded that the monthly stipend be increased to ₹30,000 and have maintained that the revision should apply to interns working across medical institutions in the Union Territory.

The proposal has now been referred to the Finance Department, where its financial implications are being examined before further action is taken by the government.