Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dalit Ezhilmalai said in the Rajya Sabha during question hour today the government would appeal against the interim order in a higher court in view of its implications and the precedent being set by it.

"We have to take into account the implications (of implementing the Bakshi Committee report) in other sectors like science and technology and defence research," he said.

The Delhi High Court had directed the government to pay salaries to the AIIMS faculty as recommended by the K K Bakshi Committee report from March 1 till the time the court takes a final decision.

The Minister said the court had given the government time till June 30 to take a final decision on pay and allowances to the faculty.

Representatives of the Finance Ministry and Departments of Personnel and Training and Health will consider the possibility of improvement in the pay scales of the AIIMS faculty, Ezhilmalai said.

Ezhilmalai said the proposal to give special allowance to non-faculty staff would also be considered by the committee. The non-faculty staff have already been given replacement scales pursuant to the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission, he said.

The Minister said that though the Bakshi Committee had been set up by the then health minister in his capacity as AIIMS president, it did not consult the Ministry of Finance and Department of Personnel while working out the pay scales.

The faculty association of AIIMS, which went on an indefinite strike from February 8, called off its strike on February 25 following an assurance from the High Court that the interests of the staff would be protected.

Ezhilmalai said work at the casualty, out patient department services and speciality clinics at the hospital andattached centres remained suspended during the strike.