Tamil Nadu replaces rupee symbol in budget material, sparks political row
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Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has replaced the rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in promotional material for the 2025-26 state budget, set to be presented on Friday. The move comes amid the ruling DMK’s ongoing opposition to the Centre’s three-language formula under the National Education Policy, which it views as an attempt to impose Hindi.
There has been no official statement from the state government regarding the change.
However, BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy criticised the decision, stating that the rupee symbol is a common national identity and alleging that the move suggests Tamil Nadu is "different from India."
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Karnataka govt mulls raising retirement age for doctors in super-speciality hospitals
Bengaluru, Mar 13 (PTI): The Karnataka government is actively considering increasing the retirement age of doctors serving in super-speciality hospitals under the medical education department, from the current 60 years to 65.
During an interaction with doctors at Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research on Thursday, Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil assured medical professionals that the government is keen on extending the retirement age to retain experienced doctors in super-speciality hospitals.
The move comes in response to concerns raised by senior doctors at Jayadeva, who pointed out that after spending nearly 35 years in medical education and training, they only get to serve around 20-25 years before retiring at 60.
"We have been deliberating on this issue for some time. To ensure better healthcare services and make the most of our experienced doctors, I will soon discuss the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and propose raising the retirement age for doctors in super-speciality hospitals," Patil said in a statement issued by his office.
In addition, Patil announced a significant benefit for doctors working in the medical education department—an insurance facility.
"Currently, these doctors are not covered under any government insurance scheme, but the state is planning to implement Jeevana Sanjivini, a scheme already available under the Health and Family Welfare Department," he said.
To further strengthen medical infrastructure, the minister declared that the government would allocate additional funds to Jayadeva Hospital to introduce robotic surgery facilities.
"To stay ahead in medical innovation and technology, we are committed to equipping Jayadeva with the latest machines and infrastructure. If Jayadeva cannot have the best, no other hospital in India can," he said.
The minister also announced other key initiatives for the hospital, including five additional operation theatres for the pediatric cardiac surgery department, the establishment of a dedicated research department, the implementation of an e-hospital and central monitoring system for digitised medical records accessible to doctors, and a salary hike for contract and outsourced medical and non-medical staff.
