Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announces major stipend hike for medical trainees in a ₹33.22 crore push to strengthen Punjab’s public healthcare system.
Underscoring the Punjab Government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the education and healthcare sectors, Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema has announced a significant hike in monthly stipends for interns, junior residents, and senior residents working in government medical and dental colleges across the state.
The monthly stipend has now been increased from ₹22,000 to up to ₹94,000 for senior residents. This decision aims to boost morale and retention among young medical professionals, while simultaneously addressing the shortage of healthcare staff in Punjab’s public institutions.
Cheema stated that this revision will benefit around 907 interns and 2,162 junior and senior residents across Punjab. The enhanced stipends represent an annual investment of ₹33.22 crore, a strategic move to attract and retain skilled medical talent in the government sector.
The stipend increase is part of a broader ₹2,677 crore health sector development package, approved by the Cabinet on July 16, 2025. This includes ₹684 crore earmarked for hospital upgrades, aimed at improving Punjab’s healthcare infrastructure and service delivery at the grassroots level.
Cheema, who previously served as the Leader of the Opposition and was recently elevated to the finance portfolio in the July 5 Cabinet reshuffle, emphasized that the state is prioritizing long-term health investments over short-term fiscal tightening. He asserted that quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and the government is committed to creating a strong, motivated, and well-compensated medical workforce.
This move also comes at a time when India continues to face systemic underfunding in public healthcare, with just 1.28% of GDP spent in 2021–22 as per the National Health Accounts estimates.