Senior doctors to strengthen teaching, health programmes: Cabinet
New Delhi, June 27: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday cleared a Health Ministry proposal to transfer senior doctors with the Central government and its entities above the age of 62 years for teaching and execution of national public health programmes.
"The approval seeks to ensure that the doctors belonging to Central Health Service (CHS) and of other ministries, departments or entities of the Central government, after attaining the age of 62 years, work exclusively in their respective fields of clinical expertise," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters in a briefing about the Cabinet decisions.
The Cabinet approved the strengthening of teaching, patient/clinical care and public health programme implementation by shifting of more experienced doctors belonging to Central government and Central government entities to these activities, he said.
As per an official statement, the decision "will result in capacity building and leadership development of more Central government doctors besides availability of more experienced doctors for medical education, clinical-patient care services and for implementation of national health programmes".
The Cabinet in its June 15, 2016 meeting had raised the age of superannuation of doctors of the Central Health Service to 65 years to tackle the problem of shortage of doctors, low joining and high attrition rate in the service.
Subsequently, on September 27, 2017, the Cabinet also increased the age of superannuation of doctors in various ministries and departments including those of Indian Railways, AYUSH and Central Universities, etc. to 65 years.
"It is, however, felt that there is a need to make available the services of senior doctors above the age of 62 years for core medical profession. The benefits of this proposal will percolate down the line throughout the country," the statement said.
The Cabinet approved another Health Ministry proposal to enhance the age of superannuation of General Duty Medical Officers, Specialist Grade doctors and teaching medical faculty working in Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal to 65 years.
The government decision to bring BMHRC doctors at par with doctors of CHS will meet the shortage of faculty and specialist doctors in the hospital and improve the patient care facility to the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy and members of their families, it said.
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Anti-Dalit mindset: Rahul Gandhi slams BJP after leader 'purifies' Rajasthan temple
Ahmedabad (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP of having an "anti-Dalit mindset" after its leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Rajasthan's Alwar to "purify" it following Congress' Tikaram Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
He also asserted that the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by 'Manusmriti' "which considers Bahujans as second class citizens".
The Congress on Tuesday had accused the BJP of being "anti-Dalit" and demanded an apology from its top leadership after a party leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Alwar to "purify" it following Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
Referring to the incident, Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, "Another example of BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuvadi thinking! BJP has been continuously insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution."
"That is why it is important not just to respect the Constitution but also to protect it. Modi Ji, the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by Manusmriti which considers Bahujans as second class citizens," Gandhi, who is here to attend the AICC aession said.
Congress leaders, including Jully and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, have termed Gyandev Ahuja's act an insult to Dalits, but the BJP leader denied the charge.
Maintaining that there was no caste angle to his act, Ahuja, however, defended his action, saying Congress leaders have "no moral authority" to attend such ceremonies as the party's leadership had questioned the existence of Lord Ram and "boycotted" the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya last year.
The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in a residential society of Alwar was held on Sunday on the occasion of Ram Navami and Jully was in attendance.
On Monday, Ahuja said the consecration ceremony was a "good programme", but there were some "discrepancies".
"I went there today and sprinkled Ganga water to purify the temple premises," he told reporters in Alwar.
"The Congress' former president Sonia Gandhi had got affidavits submitted in court, calling Lord Ram mythical. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi boycotted the historic Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. So the party leaders have no moral authority to attend such programmes," he said.
When contacted, Ahuja told PTI that he took the step because of Congress leaders' view and approach towards Lord Ram and not because Jully is a "Dalit".
Jully, on the other hand, claimed that Ahuja's act was indicative of the BJP's mentality towards Dalits. He claimed it was not only an attack on his faith but also an effort to promote the crime of untouchability.
