1. TN Second in Amount Claimed Under PM’s Insurance Scheme
Tamil Nadu ranks second in the country in the amount claimed under the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Though the total number of claims is relatively lesser — TN being ranked fourth in this category — the claim amount is high as the State performs high-end procedures including eight procedures that no other State performs under the scheme, officials said.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in response to a question raised in Parliament on the implementation of AB-PMJAY, said the total claim amount submitted by States and Union Territories was nearly Rs 3,077 crore.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. 3K Medicos Fail to Send Documents, Rank List Delayed
The Directorate of Medical Education, which introduced online submission of MBBS and BDS applications on 7 June for the first time, faced a new challenges after about 3,000 candidates, who filled and submitted applications online, failed to send hard copies of the necessary documents to the selection committee even after the lapse of the 21 June deadline.
According to Health department officials, this made the selection committee delay the release of rank list tentatively scheduled for Tuesday. Over 3,000 candidates goofed up by just applying online, but failing to send photocopies of documents including NEET UG mark-list, Plus-Two mark-sheet, transfer, community and nativity certificates.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. State to Restore 36 Water Bodies in Kanchipuram
Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department (WRD) began work to restore 36 water bodies in Kancheepuram district under the Kudimaramathu scheme, even as a section of farmers raised concerns about the timing of the project. Work to desilt and restore the Kanchivakkam and Navalur tanks in Sriperumbudur taluk was initiated on Tuesday. Both the tanks are the sources for irrigation for almost 160 hectares of ayacut area.
Officials of the WRD said these lakes would be among the 36 tanks that would be rejuvenated in the district during 2019-20. About Rs. 17.6 crore has been allotted for the purpose. Water User Associations have been formed for each tank. While 90% of the budgeted amount would be funded by the WRD, about 10% of the project cost would be contributed by the association in terms of labourers or machinery. The work would include desilting of the tank, strengthening of the bund and desilting of the supply channels and surplus courses.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. No More Tuition Fee for Govt, Aided English-Medium Schools
Students from government and aided English medium schools do not have to pay tuition fees from this academic year, School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan announced when the demands for grants for the School Education Department were taken up during the ensuing Assembly session on Tuesday.
While Tamil medium students had no tuition fees, the English medium students had to pay Rs 200 as tuition fees and Rs 50 towards the parents teachers association, until 2018-19. However, from this year, this fee will be waived.”We found that many students opt for English medium schools as it provides them better job opportunities in the future. Many parents from economically poor background are willing to pay fees to send their children to English medium schools,” said PK Ilamaran, president of the Tamil Nadu Government School Teachers Association, welcoming the initiative.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Phase II of Metro is Coming, Not Everyone’s Happy
By mid next year, the groundwork will begin for Chennai Metro's the mammoth phase II project, which will cover 118.9 km of the city, changing the way it looks – from traffic diversions to restricted road width. But there are some who will be hit harder by the resultant disruption. For shopkeepers and traders whose businesses lie along the proposed alignments, their lands, shops and establishments may soon cease to exist. Many shopkeepers and traders, especially in Purasawalkam – through which the Madhavaram-Siruseri corridor will pass – think their lives may be in disarray if they have to vacate the area to give way for construction.
Some will have to give up their land and many will have access to their shops curtailed or even cut off, due to construction activity. S Hyder Ali, who has run a garment store on Purasawalkam High Road for three decades now, says he will have to shut down his shop as he has received notice from Chennai Metro.
(Source: The Hindu)
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