Private hospitals threaten to suspend cashless treatment over pending dues

14/01/2020 , Staff Reporter, Bengaluru

With several crores due from the Union and State governments for the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and the ex-servicemen’s contributory health schemes (ECHS), hospitals have threatened to suspend cashless service under these two schemes citing financial constraints.

Hospitals claimed they are unable to bear day-to-day expenditure and pay salaries to their employees.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Devi Shetty, cardiac surgeon and founder of Narayana Health, said: “At least now the government will be aware of the health industry and give us the payment that is due, as well as the realistic tariffs. As of now, we will continue the scheme but after first week of March we will take a decision and stop cashless treatment,” he said.

He said that they would give the governments a month’s time before suspending the service.

A press release by the hospital managements alleged that the four insurance companies are dictating the reimbursement, which is less than what is incurred by the hospitals to render the services.

R. Ravindra, president of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association, said: “ECHS is for the armed forces. Every month, a certain amount of their salary is being cut for the health insurance, under which their family has to be covered. Thus, there is a special rate for them. The government has so much money but still hesitates to pay it to us.”

The Indian Medical Association, Association of Healthcare Providers India, Federation of Healthcare Associations Karnataka, and Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association have been negotiating with the bureaucracy for the early release of the dues.

‘T&C not honoured’

The terms and conditions that both the governments and hospitals had agreed upon were not being honoured, the doctors alleged. They said that private hospitals are only able to recover 40% of the amount incurred during treatment.

“We believe that we shouldn’t cause trouble the patients, and that we can come up with a viable solution in their interest,” said H. Sudarshan Ballal, director of Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology, the chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of Manipal Hospitals Group, and Senate Member of Manipal University.

TNPSC conducts re-exam for candidates

14/01/2020 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI 
 
Following allegations of malpractice in Group IV examination, the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has conducted an examination for a group of candidates who have reportedly scored top marks in the examination centres in Ramanathapuram district. The examination to assess their learning is part of an inquiry by the TNPSC.

The TNPSC has started investigation into the allegation on malpractice by a group of candidates who allegedly opted for centres away from their hometown and scored high marks in the examination. After allegations surfaced on social media, 35 candidates who are on the top 100 rank list have been screened by the TNPSC.

According to sources, the candidates were from areas such as Tiruvallur, Chennai, Arakkonam, Vellore, Cuddalore and Kanniyakumari. These candidates had opted for two centres in Ramanathapuram district and scored very high marks.

The candidates were asked to appear for an examination with questions on general knowledge. The candidates are expected to be subjected to further questioning after their marks scored are evaluated.

A Hindu family grieves demise of Oman Sultan

14/01/2020 , Special Correspondent , MAYILADUTHURAI

The announcement by the Home Ministry about the Central government’s declaration of one-day State mourning on Monday in view of the demise of the Sultan of Oman has evoked condolences from a Hindu family in Mayiladuthurai town in Nagapattinam district in the form of a banner with a touching obituary.

‘Beacon of peace’

The late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said has been described, in the bilingual hoarding, as a beacon of peace by Ashokan, his wife Malathi, and their children Swetha and Perunselvan.

A retired schoolteacher, Mr. Ashokan had worked in Oman for 11 years, before returning to his hometown in 2008 after securing a government job.

Mr. Ashokan who retired from service six months ago said that he placed the order for the banner on January 10, the very day the Sultan died.

“I spent 11 years in Oman with my family. My children underwent their school education there,” Mr. Ashokan said, reminiscing his days in Oman under the rule of the lovable leader.

HC to hear Puducherry CM’s petition from January 24 

He challenged Centre’s advisory to transfer cash instead of distributing free rice

14/01/2020 , Mohamed Imranullah S., CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Monday decided to commence hearing arguments from January 24, both on the maintainability as well as the merits of a writ petition filed by Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, challenging an advisory issued by the Centre last month for continuing the practice of transferring cash instead of free distribution of rice to ration cardholders.

Justice C.V. Karthikeyan took the decision when the writ petition was listed for admission before him.

Opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General G. Rajagopalan questioned the very maintainability of the case and claimed that the Chief Minister of a Union Territory was not entitled to file a case against the Centre, since both of them were not distinct entities.

Further, referring to Section 50 of the Government of Union Territories Act of 1963, he said all decisions taken by the Centre were binding upon the Administrator (called as Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry) as well as the Council of Ministers in a Union Territory. Therefore, no Minister, much less the Chief Minister, could challenge such decisions before a court of law. In his petition, Mr. Narayanasamy accused L-G Kiran Bedi of having having made a recommendation for direct benefit transfer (cash deposit) without taking ground realities into account.

‘Good results’

He said the prime objective of distribution of rice and other essentials through public distribution system was to address maladies such as hunger and malnutrition. Hence, after being elected in 2016, his government had increased the distribution of free rice to all ration cardholders from 10kg to 20kg a month. The scheme yielded good results, he claimed.

In the meantime, the Centre brought in the Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy Rules of 2015. The Chief Minister feared that cash transfer would lead to male members in poor families snatching away the money from women and spend it for consuming liquor. Dubbing cash transfer as a “lazy short cut,” he said, it could lead to pilferage at various levels and would not help in achieving the objective of fighting hunger and malnutrition.

Hence, his council of ministers on June 7 last year passed a resolution for continuing free distribution of rice and not to opt for cash transfer. However, Ms. Bedi differed with that decision and referred the issue to the Centre on September 5. Not stopping with that, she ordered implementation of cash transfer till the Centre took a final call on the issue.

Huge turnout of youth for registration of bulls for jallikattu
Officials distribute tokens to bull owners

14/01/2020 , Staff Reporter, MADURAI

Veterinarians checking bulls in Madurai on Monday.

A large turnout of youngsters and bulls from in and around Madurai and nearby district lined up at Avaniyapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur for the registration of bulls on Monday. With jallikattu to be conducted between January 15 and 17, officials from the animal husbandry department gave away tokens to bull owners after scrutinising the health of the bulls.

During the process, bull rearers at Alanganallur relented against officials over the distribution of tokens. The district police who were at the spot had to contain the swelling crowds as a strict cap of only 700 bulls were given tokens.

M. Rajasekaran from Alanganallur said that like him, several other youngsters were turned away by the district administration officials and the police as the tokens were distributed early in the day.

“Although we have been standing in lines from 7 a.m., we could not make the cut,” he said.

Joint Director Animal Husbandry D. Suresh Christopher said that strict instructions had been provided to veterinarians to ensure that the bulls are at least 120 cm tall and are above 2.5 years in age.

“Only bulls with good health which are tough enough to face the crowd of tamers ideally should be allowed, particularly those which are trained. The Kangeyam and the Pulikulam varieties of bulls usually are pretty tall. Umbalacheri which were earlier bred in Thanjavur for the purpose of ploughing may not reach 120 cm but are one of the swiftest breeds. Discretion must be just to approve the bulls,” he said.

In order to tackle the yearly problems faced during jallikattu time in the holding yard, Collector T.G. Vinay had strictly stated that bulls can gather only at 6 a.m.

“Only those with proper certificates and tokens can stand in line unlike last year where bulls recommended by the organising committee were let in,” he said.

Nirbhaya convicts to meet their families last on Jan. 20 

All 4 to be hanged on Jan. 22 at 7 a.m. 

14/01/2020 , SAURABH TRIVEDI, NEW DELHI

The convicts in the Nirbhaya case will meet their family members for the last time on January 20, two days before their scheduled hanging, said an officer with the Tihar jail on Monday.

The convicts — Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, and Akshay Kumar Singh — who are currently under the close watch of doctors and physiatrists in isolation wards, will be executed together at 7 a.m. in Tihar jail, said another officer.

All the preparations related to the hanging are over, he added. “We asked the convicts about the day and time when they would want to meet their families but they did not reply. In this case, we have scheduled the meetings on January 20,” the officer said. The meeting will be held in separate rooms in the presence of Tihar jail officials. “We have stopped giving newspapers to the convicts and they are on regular diets. Their medical reports are normal with no signs of ‘abnormality’ seen during their psychological screenings,” said the officer.

He added that after the court issued death warrants on January 7, family members of Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay had come to meet them. “Akshay’s family members came to meet him in November last. At present, family members can meet prisoners two times in a week. Mukesh’s mother visited him on Friday,” the officer said.

On Sunday, a team of prison officials performed dummy execution of the convicts. The dummies were created using sacks filled with debris and stones as per the weight of the convicts.

HC rules Musharraf trial illegal

14/01/2020 , Mehmal Sarfraz, LAHORE

In huge relief for Pakistan’s self-exiled former dictator, the Lahore High Court on Monday declared Pervez Musharraf’s trial in the high treason case as “unconstitutional”.

A special court had given death sentence to the ex-Army chief on December 17 for holding the Constitution in abeyance.

Lawyer Usama Malik said the High Court pointed out that Cabinet approval wasn’t given for the formation of the special court and it was only constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Interior Ministry, which is illegal.

(With inputs from PTI)