‘Govt thinking of relaxing norms for old age pension’

‘Govt thinking of relaxing norms for old age pension’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:21.07.2021

The possibilities of relaxing some of the norms of the old age pension scheme (OPA) in Tamil Nadu, to make more people eligible for the benefit of these schemes, were being explored and the drawbacks have been taken to the notice of the chief minister M K Stalin, minister for revenue and disaster management, K K S S R Ramachandran has said.

Speaking to reporters after a review meeting with revenue officials of Madurai, Theni and Dindigul district on Tuesday, Ramachandran said that the rules laid down by the former AIADMK government, for obtaining the pension, had made it difficult for many people to get the pension. “There are people who have children (sons), which makes them ineligible for the OAP, but in reality these children do not take care of the parents and they need some financial support. So, we are trying to find a solution to it,” he said. Sources from the revenue department said that there were already more than 5,000 petitions for old age pension pending in Madurai district alone, of which one-third are eligible, but till date the lack of funds forced them them to enroll new beneficiaries only after the death of an existing beneficiary. Earlier, it was specified that people applying for these benefits should come under the below poverty line (BPL) category, but this is no longer mandatory, as identifying BPL category people in villages was easy but not in the city.

HELPING HAND: Minister K K S S R Ramachandran distributes a sewing machine to a beneficiary in Madurai on Tuesday

Pvt hosps told to use CSR funds for free vaccination

Pvt hosps told to use CSR funds for free vaccination

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

21.07.2021

Health minister Ma Subramanian conducted a meeting with representatives of private hospitals in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts at the Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore on Tuesday to discuss the feasibility of using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to procure vaccines to inoculate the public free of cost.

The minister said they had collected ₹61 lakh from CSR funds of private hospitals so far and 7,878 people could be vaccinated free of cost with the same.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of 117 hospitals. The minister said the state government was encouraging all private companies to contribute their CSR funds to procure vaccines. The funds would be routed to private hospitals, which would use them to procure vaccines and inoculate the public free of cost.

“The Union government has allotted 75% of a state’s quota to the government and 25% to private hospitals, which are not fully utilizing the quota, as cost is involved in it. So, they are now encouraged to tie up with corporate firms to vaccinate the public for free,” Subramaniam said while speaking to the media at Walayar check post.

The representatives of the hospitals said six to seven private hospitals would launch the scheme initially. “The directorate of public health should provide the hospitals with facilities to store and transport the vaccines for rural camps,” a source said.

Pointing out that many corporate firms were donating oxygen concentrators, generators, and cylinders to the hospitals, he said the state had adequate number of them presently. “We want private hospitals to procure vaccines with the CSR funds and conduct camps in rural areas.” The source said they had received 180 petitions from people stating their villages weren’t allotted enough vaccines.

Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated a vaccination camp for disabled people at Chinniyampalayam. He said Coimbatore was allotted the highest number of vaccines after Chennai. The district has vaccinated 10.97 lakh people so far. “The state has received 1.8 crore doses of vaccine so far and we need another 10 crore doses. We could achieve the target soon if private hospitals use their full quota.”

The minister said ₹61 lakh has been collected from CSR funds of private hospitals so far and 7,878 people could be vaccinated free of cost with the same

TN govt eases income norm for OBC certs

TN govt eases income norm for OBC certs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.07.2021

Candidates applying for Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates in Tamil Nadu need not worry about creamy layer criteria as the state government has directed revenue officials and collectors to issue the certificate without insisting on income details. OBC certificates are required for candidates from backward communities to apply for admissions to central educational institutions and jobs.

The July 5 order states that salary and agriculture income need not be taken into account while calculating annual income ceiling of ₹8 lakh for parents of non-creamy layer category. The order, however, does not cover six categories, including people occupying constitutional posts and service and professional categories identified by the Centre in 1993. The move comes amid complaints about some officials raising objections while issuing OBC certificates citing income criteria.

‘There were issues in giving OBC certificates’

The communique was issued by A Karthik, BC, MBC & Minorities Welfare Department secretary.

For instance, an applicant, whose parent earns an annual income of ₹10 lakh that includes ₹7 lakh through salary and agriculture income will still be eligible for OBC certificate as the ₹3 lakh income through other sources alone will be calculated as the annual income. Even if an applicant’s income is ₹25 lakh, so long as the income through sources other than salary and agriculture is under the ₹8-lakh ceiling, they will still be eligible for OBC certificate.

The secretary further said in the letter to district collectors and revenue administration department that it had been brought to the government’s notice that there were issues in giving OBC certificates, hampering benefits offered by the Union government under 27% reservation for OBCs.

So long as the income through sources other than salary and agriculture is under the ₹8-lakh ceiling, they will still be eligible for OBC certificate

Stipend for Uttrakhand MBBS interns increased to Rs 17000 per month

Stipend for Uttrakhand MBBS interns increased to Rs 17000 per month: Dehradun: After weeks of protest and agitation, 330 medical interns of the state medical colleges have finally got relief as the government has now raised their stipend from Rs 7,500 to Rs 17,000...

Central govt "attempt to not implement" OBC reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for 2021-22 appears to be contempt: Madras High Court

 Central govt "attempt to not implement" OBC reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for 2021-22 appears to be contempt: Madras High Court

The Court has given the respondent authorities a week's time to indicate how it proposes to implement the OBC reservation.

Madras High Court

Meera Emmanuel

Published on : 19 Jul, 2021 , 2:49 pm

The Madras High Court on Monday observed that the apparent attempts by the Central government not to implement Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for the All India Quota (AIQ) in non-central medical colleges in Tamil Nadu appeared to be prima facie contempt of Court and in the teeth of the High Court's earlier order of July 27, 2020.

Admissions into the medical colleges in the State can now be only upon implementing such reservation quota, the Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy noted in its interim order.

The Bench opined that the Union's stance to defer the implementation of the OBC reservation until the Saloni Kumari case before the Supreme Court is decided was, prima facie, unacceptable.

"The Union's attempt to not implement the OBC reservation quota in respect of AIQ seats in the academic year 2021-22 appears to be contumacious, in derogation of the order dated July 27, 2020 passed by this Court and contrary to the representation made before the Supreme Court as recorded in the order dated October 26, 2020," the Court said.

The Court has now given the alleged contemnors a week's time to "indicate their considered stand as to the mode and manner of the (implementation of the) OBC reservation quota in terms of the 1993 Act in respect of AIQ seats in the State pertaining to medical and dental colleges from the next academic year of 2021-22."

The Court has also noted that the State government has already indicated its proposal for OBC reservation implementation to the Committee by the middle of October.

By the July 27, 2020 order, the High Court had directed the constitution of a Committee to work out how the OBC reservation can be implemented from the academic year 2021-2022, with the participation of the Central government, the State government, the Medical Council of India and the Dental Council of India.

A contempt plea was filed earlier this year by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which has raised concerns that the OBC reservation may not be implemented this academic year either.

Senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for the DMK, pointed out that while the Committee has been formed in terms of the High Court's order, the implementation of the OBC reservation is not being done citing an application pending before the Supreme Court.

He added that this pending application is not connected with or pose any impediment to the implementation of the OBC reservation in medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. He further pointed out that the Central government itself had earlier given a positive undertaking in the Supreme Court that the OBC reservation would be implemented from 2021-22 after the State government moved a plea in the Supreme Court urging for a shorter timeline for the reservation.

In arguments today, the counsel appearing for the Central government authorities countered that the All-India Quota is something that is being monitored by the Supreme Court. As such, some clarification is required before proceeding further, it was argued. There is no wilful disobedience of any order, it was asserted.

The Court, however, was unconvinced.

"We think this is in the teeth of the order of the court. You said that you would implement it this year. Long before, you said that the Saloni Kumar (case) has nothing to do with it," Chief Justice Banerjee orally observed.

Additional Solicitor General R Sankaranarayanan assured the Court that the Central government has not been against the implementation of the OBC quota, and that its only reservation was with respect to exceeding a 50% limit. The only question is the manner of implementation, the ASG said while seeking ten days' time to file an affidavit.

"It has to be implemented in the year 2021-22," Chief Justice Banerjee went on to emphasise, adding, "you make a statement, we’ll adjourn the matter, after a week you tell us how you will implement it. Not implementing is not a choice."

In its interim order, the Bench recorded that the matter was finally decided by the Madras High Court on July 27, 2020 after the Supreme Court clarified that the top Court is not dealing with any similar matter.

It also noted that in an October 26, 2020 order, the Supreme Court had recorded the Centre's submission that a committee was already in place to decide on how to implement the OBC reservations and further that the top Court had recorded that a final decision would be taken by the Committee for implementation from 2021-22.

"To repeat, the considered stand of the Union was that steps were being taken to implement the OBC reservation to AIQ seats in the State from the academic year 21-22," the Court noted.

The matter will be heard next on Monday.

மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் 69% இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை இந்த கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும்: ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுறுத்தல்

மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் 69% இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை இந்த கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும்: ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுறுத்தல்

2021-07-20@ 00:11:30

சென்னை: மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் அகில இந்திய ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களுக்கு 69 சதவீத இடஒதுக்கீட்டை 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுரை வழங்கியது. எம்பிபிஎஸ், பிடிஎஸ் மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் அகில இந்திய ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களில் இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினருக்கு இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க கோரி திமுக, உள்ளிட்ட கட்சிகளின் சார்பில் தொடரப்பட்ட வழக்கை விசாரித்த சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம், இந்த இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்குவது தொடர்பாக குழு அமைத்து ஆய்வு செய்து, 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டு முதல் அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கடந்த ஆண்டு ஜூலை மாதம் உத்தரவிட்டது.

அதன் அடிப்படையில் அமைக்கப்பட்ட குழு தமிழகத்தில் அமலில் உள்ள 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை வழங்க வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு பரிந்துரை அளித்தது.ஆனால், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ள ஒரு வழக்கை காரணம் காட்டி சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்ற உத்தரவை ஒன்றிய அரசு அமல்படுத்தவில்லை எனக் கூறி திமுக தரப்பில் நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பு வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டது.இந்த வழக்கு தலைமை நீதிபதி சஞ்சீப் பானர்ஜி மற்றும் நீதிபதி செந்தில்குமார் ராமமூர்த்தி அடங்கிய அமர்வில் நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.

அப்போது, திமுக தரப்பில் ஆஜரான மூத்த வக்கீல் பி.வில்சன், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ள வழக்குக்கும் உயர் நீதிமன்றம் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவுக்கும் எந்த தொடர்பும் இல்லை. தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவ படிப்பில் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டதை ஒன்றிய அரசு அமல்படுத்த மறுக்கிறது. நீதிமன்றத்தில் 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் இடஒதுக்கீடு உத்தரவு அமல்படுத்தப்படும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசு உறுதியளித்தும் அதை அமல்படுத்தவில்லை.

இது நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பு செயல் என்று வாதிட்டார்.ஒன்றிய அரசுத்தரப்பில் ஆஜரான கூடுதல் சொலிசிட்டர் ஜெனரல் சங்கரநாராயணன் மற்றும் ஒன்றிய அரசு வழக்கறிஞர் சந்திரசேகரன் ஆகியோர், 50 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு கேட்டு விட்டு தற்போது 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு கோருவதாகவும், இடஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க தயாராக இருக்கிறோம். எந்த நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பும் செய்யவில்லை. இந்த வழக்கு விசாரணைக்கு உகந்ததல்ல என்று வாதிட்டனர். தமிழக அரசு சார்பில் பி.முத்துக்குமார் ஆஜராகி, தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவ படிப்பில் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை அமல்படுத்துவதே அரசின் முடிவு என்று தெரிவித்தார். வழக்கை விசாரித்த நீதிபதிகள், உயர் நீதிமன்றம் 2020ம் ஆண்டு பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவை அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும். தமிழகத்தில் பின்பற்றப்படும் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுரை வழங்கியது.இதுகுறித்த நிலைபாட்டை ஒன்றிய அரசு அடுத்த வாரம் தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும் என்று உத்தரவிட்டு விசாரணையை ஜூலை 26ம் தேதிக்கு தள்ளிவைத்தனர்.

Current sentiment with regard to travel:

Current sentiment with regard to travel:

‘Enjoy a holiday before the third wave’

As videos of maskless tourists at overcrowded hill stations go viral, experts warn that this form of ‘revenge travel’ could lead to dire consequences as far as containing the pandemic goes

Niharika Lal

20.07.2021 

Indian sentiment right now – third wave aane se pehle ghoom aao,” read a tweet by comedian Amit Tandon recently, which summarises the revenge travel scenario at the moment. Recently, during a press conference, while referring to tourists’ COVID inappropriate behaviour, Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said,“We act like we have come out of jail after two years. There’s a huge crowd, but we aren’t scared of COVID-19... The third wave may be caused because of this behaviour.”

Despite several overcrowded hill station videos going viral, tourists continue to throng popular destinations, often flouting COVID rules. In Manali hotels, for example, the occupancy is around 70-100%, while in the overflowing-with-tourists Uttarakhand, thousands had to be refused entry recently.

Tourists can be seen thronging marketplaces in these pictures taken in Dharamshala and Manali between June-July

Hotel bookings are up by 70-100% in destinations like Manali

Tourist footfall not the problem, COVID inappropriate behaviour is: Experts

‘PEOPLE WANT EARLIEST BOOKINGS POSSIBLE, BEFORE THIRD WAVE HITS’

Nitin, a Mussoorie-based hotelier, says, “Right now, you won’t get reservations in any luxurious or four-star hotels in Mussoorie or Nainital. In fact, on weekends, there is a 15-20 km traffic jam between Dehradun and Mussoorie on Dehradun Highway. Most of these tourists are from NCR and neighbouring states.”

Last month, a senior official of a travel company told us that they have seen a jump of nearly 200% in hotel bookings. Another Manali based hotelier said, “Most of the people visiting our hotels said that they wanted to visit the hills before the third wave hits, as once that happens, vacations will be out of the question for another couple of months.”

Not just hotels, but caravan companies also pointed out that they are fully booked for July. A Delhibased caravan service provider says, “It’s the same sentiment everywhere. Several said they wanted the earliest possible bookings because you don’t know when the third wave will hit, and they wanted to get the trip over with before that.”

A Bengaluru-based provider told us that they were booked out for July a month in advance. “People booked our caravans in June, when the restrictions were not even fully lifted in most of the states,” said one of the founders, adding, “The plan for many was to book in June, travel in July and return before August second week, before the third wave would presumably hit.”

STATES ISSUE NEW RULES AS PICTURES OF MASKLESS TOURISTS GO VIRAL

Officials and tourists say that massive footfall of tourists thronging hill stations isn’t cause of alarm, but COVID inappropriate behaviour is. Last week, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, said, “The virus will get an opportunity to spread again if people continue to move around in hill stations and markets without wearing masks and without maintaining physical distance.”

After photos of maskless tourists visiting hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand went viral, both states issued new COVID-related restrictions last week. Kullu police announced that those flouting norms would be fined ₹5,000 or sent to jail for eight days, while the Mussoorie administration said that those entering the town would have to register on the smart city portal, and would be required to show their COVID negative report with a valid hotel booking.

SEVERAL TOURISTS NOW SEEKING REMOTE DESTINATIONS

A staff member from a Delhi travel agency says that pictures of overcrowded hill stations have led some tourists to seek different destinations, and that they have received many queries regarding ‘other hill stations’ they could travel to.

Anukriti, a tourist, who recently visited the hills, says, “We went in the first week of July, and knew that it would be crowded, but we couldn’t find a room in five hotels in Manali! It felt like we are in Sarojini Nagar Market, not Manali. So, we decided to go to a remote location to avoid the crowd.”

Faisal, another tourist adds, “My colleague’s family runs a homestay in Nainital an,d we were planning to spend our weekend there. However, his family warned us not to visit if we wanted to avoid Delhi-like traffic jams in the hills. We thought they were exaggerating, but it turned out they were right. Most of my colleagues and friends are also exploring other options like Kashmir and Panchgani instead, for the same reason.”

TIMES VIEW

Those indulging in ‘revenge’ travel seem to have abandoned both common sense and self-preservation. Covid-appropriate behaviour in public places is mandatory even for those who are fully vaccinated. Hill station authorities must enforce the rules in the strictest possible way.

A picture taken at The Ridge in July

After tourists violated norms at Kempty Falls, the Uttarakhand Government announced that only 50 tourists would be allowed at the