Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday announced a significant increase in monthly stipends for medical and dental trainees in government institutions, highlighting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare and education in the state.
Key Highlights (Paraphrased):
In an official statement, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema emphasized the AAP-led Punjab government’s continued dedication to enhancing the health and education sectors. He revealed that stipends for interns, junior residents, and senior residents in state-run medical and dental colleges have been revised upward.
Minister Harpal Cheema informed that Punjab currently has 907 sanctioned positions for interns, 1,408 for junior residents, and 754 for senior residents.
He announced that:
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Intern stipends have been increased from ₹15,000 to ₹22,000 per month.
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Junior Residents will now receive ₹76,000 in their first year, ₹77,000 in the second year, and ₹78,000 in the third year — up from the earlier flat rate of ₹67,968.
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Senior Residents will now be paid ₹92,000 in the first year, ₹93,000 in the second year, and ₹94,000 in the third year, compared to their previous stipend of ₹81,562.
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਹਤ ਖੇਤਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਅਟੁੱਟ ਵਚਨਬੱਧਤਾ ‘ਤੇ ਜੋਰ ਦਿੰਦਿਆਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਤ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਹਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਚੀਮਾ ਨੇ ਸੂਬੇ ਦੇ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਮੈਡੀਕਲ ਅਤੇ ਡੈਂਟਲ ਕਾਲਜਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੰਟਰਨਾਂ, ਜੂਨੀਅਰ ਰੈਜ਼ੀਡੈਂਟਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਰੈਜ਼ੀਡੈਂਟਾਂ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਮਹੀਨਾ ਮਾਣਭੱਤੇ (ਸਟਾਈਪੈਂਡ) ਵਿੱਚ ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਵਾਧੇ ਦਾ… pic.twitter.com/PDnjUzp6Wl
— Government of Punjab (@PbGovtIndia) July 24, 2025
Minister Harpal Cheema reiterated that the government is committed to prioritizing health and education in its budget. With the revised stipends, the annual expenditure will rise from ₹204.96 crore to ₹238.18 crore — an increase of ₹33.22 crore per year.
He also reaffirmed the government’s intent to upgrade healthcare infrastructure and services across Punjab. Referring to the recent introduction of ₹10 lakh insurance coverage for every citizen, Minister Harpal Cheema emphasized that public welfare remains a central focus and assured that adequate funds will be made available to support ongoing improvements in the health sector.