Government school students likely to get reservation benefit in admission to non-medical courses also
The government is planning to provide 10 per cent reservation for government school students in higher educational institutions in the Union Territory, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Friday.
Launching the enhanced fishing ban assistance scheme at Nallavadu village, the Chief Minister said the government had already introduced 10 per cent reservation for NEET-qualified government school students in medical colleges in Puducherry.
'Similarly, we are planning to provide reservation for government school students in other courses in higher educational institutions. It is aimed at encouraging more students to join government schools,' the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Rangasamy said most of the demands of the fishermen have been met after he took over the administration in 2021. 'Several schemes were relaunched and new programmes introduced. The government had cleared the enhanced fishing ban assistance scheme a week ago, but the launch took some time as the Lieutenant Governor wanted an inaugural event to be held. He is of the view that though the government initiates several schemes and programmes, they are not communicated to the people properly. The Lt. Governor was scheduled to attend the event, but he could not come due to some engagements,' the Chief Minister said.
Minister for Fisheries K. Lakshminarayanan said the decision to increase the fishing ban assistance from ₹6,500 to ₹8,000 will benefit 19,175 fishermen families in the Union Territory. Of the total beneficiaries, 10,024 fishermen families reside in Puducherry region while the remaining 3,814 families are in Karaikal, 4,825 in Yanam and 512 in Mahe regions. The government would incur an expenditure of around ₹15 crore, he said.
'Not just the fishing ban assistance, the government had also increased the assistance given during rainy season and elderly pension for fishermen. The diesel subsidy has also been enhanced. The beneficiaries for welfare schemes have also gone up after we came to power. While a fisherman's family in other States and Union Territories receive a minimum of ₹8,500 as various assistance, fishermen in Puducherry get around ₹14,500. People who are not aware of the reality will only issue statements critical of the government's performance,' he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Speaker R. Selvam said the government has decided to take up road works worth ₹8.5 crore under a Rural Development programme. Legislator R. Baskar Datchanamourtty and Secretary to the Lt. Governor D. Manikandan were present.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu told to surrender super-speciality medical seats to AIQ counselling; move draws flak
Tamil Nadu had to surrender nearly 130 super-speciality medical seats meant for in-service candidates to the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling before conducting its second round of counselling. This was after the Directorate-General of Health Services (DGHS) asked the State to revert the vacant in-service seats to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for all-India counselling. The decision has drawn criticism from the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association (TNMOA) as it sees this as going against the 50% reservation for in-service candidates. TNMOA State secretary M. Akilan said that usually, two rounds of counselling are held for the 215 super-speciality seats reserved for the in-service doctors. 'It is only after this that the vacant seats would be surrendered for the AIQ. But this time, the State has surrendered the seats before conducting the second round. As of now, 75-78 seats have been filled by in-service candidates... They should have sought legal opinion or asked the government before deciding. This goes against the 50% reservation for in-service doctors,' he said. Official sources said the State had taken up the issue with the DGHS as doctors strongly objected to the surrender of the seats. Tamil Nadu Health Secretary P. Senthilkumar wrote to the DGHS and the Union Health Secretary on June 9, saying that according to a Supreme Court order, 50% of the seats in the super-speciality courses at government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu are reserved for in-service candidates. The NEET Super Speciality (SS) counselling for the State quota in-service candidates was completed on May 27, and a letter was sent to the DGHS on May 29, requesting it to indicate the schedule for the State's second round of counselling to allow upgradation for in-service candidates. He said several representations were being received from in-service candidates for upgradation in the second round of the State quota counselling. Hence, all the seats reserved for them should be shown in the second round of the State counselling since 50% of seats are reserved exclusively for in-service candidates. He sought early intervention to enable the candidates to get the full benefit of the Supreme Court order. In a letter dated June 3, the DGHS asked Tamil Nadu to revert the vacant seats. the DGHS referred to Tamil Nadu Selection Committee's request to the MCC to submit the State schedule for round two of NEET SS counselling to allow upgradation to in-service candidates and fill the remaining in-service seats before they are surrendered to the AIQ counselling. However, it said the matter was taken forward to higher authorities but 'the request has not been acceded to since the delay in commencement of round-2 will hamper the whole All India schedule' that has been approved by the Union Health Ministry and ratified by the Supreme Court. The State counselling schedule, it said, had to run in tandem with the All India counselling schedule. So, conducting round two of State counselling before round two of All India counselling was not feasible. The DGHS asked the Selection Committee to revert the vacant in-service seats to the MCC to be included in the All India seat matrix since round two of All India counselling had begun as per schedule. Dr. Akilan, in a letter to the Health Secretary, said the decision of the State government to surrender the super-speciality seats for the AIQ immediately after the first round of counselling was a matter of concern. 'This premature surrender of seats is unprecedented and has not been adopted by any other State in the country. This move severely affects the prospects of service doctors who have dedicated years to serving in government institutions, often in challenging and underserved areas,' he said. The TNMOA urged the government to withhold the surrender of super-speciality seats until the later stages of the counselling process.
The Wire
16 hours ago
- The Wire
India's Data Blackout: No Data Means No Accountability
Photo: Mark Owen Wilkinson Hughes/Unsplash Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute Now In any democracy, it is critical for the government to collect data in a timely and accurate manner. No data means no accountability. In response to several questions raised by MPs in parliament, the government has claimed that it does not have data. This includes data on the number of deaths due to lack of oxygen during COVID-19, paper leaks in competitive examinations like NEET, data on the losses caused due to natural calamities and the reasons for farmer suicides. Census The decennial Census, which was conducted in India without a break for 150 years, has not been held since 2011. The Census due in 2021 was delayed citing the COVID-19 pandemic, even as large political rallies and religious congregations were allowed to take place. The Indian government has finally announced that the next population Census will be conducted in 2027. The Census is not just an academic exercise; it has serious implications for policymaking. Not conducting the census directly impacts the lives of millions of people, especially those living at the margins. For instance, as per the National Food Security Act, the number of people to be given ration cards is determined on the basis of the latest census. Estimates suggest that more than 10 crore people have been left out of the ambit of the food security net due to the 2021 Census not being conducted. The absence of updated census figures also fuels misinformation and disinformation in society. It is impossible to verify the authenticity of claims made for political gains about the disproportionate increase in population of religious minorities, improvement in sex ratio etc. Covid deaths Even in cases where data has been collected, there have been very serious concerns about its accuracy. A huge controversy engulfed the data on the number of deaths in the country during COVID. While the government reported only five lakh COVID deaths, independent estimates, including from the World Health Organieation (WHO), placed the figure at over 40 lakh. The government recently released the data for the 2021 Civil Registration System after a lag of nearly four years. The data shows that the excess deaths in 2021 alone were around 21 lakh – suggesting that a figure of around 40 lakh COVID related deaths due to the pandemic is entirely plausible. Missing data The NSO's Consumer Expenditure Survey of 2017-18 was junked. The leaked findings of the survey showed that consumer spending fell for the first time in four decades and consumption declined, indicating an increase in poverty. A report by IndiaSpend showed that at the end of 2024, 16 critical datasets were delayed and nine ministries had not released their annual reports. Among the delayed datasets were the 'Crime in India' report, which provides crucial information on crime statistics including figures on cybercrimes, crimes against women and children, and the 'All India Survey on Higher Education'. Both were last published in 2022. Shooting the messenger? Recently, the Union government dissolved the Standing Committee on Statistics headed by Dr Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician of India. As per reports, members of the committee had repeatedly raised concerns in the meetings over the delay in conducting the Census. The findings of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) showed an increase in the number of women with anaemia and the persistence of open defecation in the country, contrary to claims of the government. In 2023, the director of the institute responsible for preparing the NFHS was removed. The politics of data The Modi government appears to be extremely wary of data. Availability of objective data empowers people to question the government's functioning and query the propaganda and claims made by those in power. Data enables critical citizens' engagement and ensures accountability of those who govern. A government interested primarily in perception management is seldom inclined to put in place an effective data regime. Watch ' India's Data Blackout- From Census to Covid Deaths | Jaanne Bhi Do Yaaro ', where Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst joins Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri discuss what's happening to crucial data in the country. Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri are social activists working on issues of transparency and accountability. Sindhu Koshy is a public-spirited communications professional based in Trivandrum. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Odisha govt moots scheme to develop villages of Odisha's greats
BHUBANESWAR : The state government is all set to launch the 'Mahapurush Adarsh Gram Yojana' under which villages of eminent personalities like freedom fighters, poets, authors and artists etc., will be developed. Announcing the initiative here on Monday, minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Rabi Narayan Naik said the state government plans to develop around 100 to 150 villages under the scheme in a bid to improve the rural infrastructure and living standards of people residing in these villages. 'Mahapurush Adarsh Gram will represent the Asmita of the Odia people. Many great persons of the state were born in small, underdeveloped villages. While their contributions are remembered, their birthplaces remain neglected. This scheme aims to develop infrastructure, employment opportunities, education and healthcare facilities in these villages,' the minister told mediapersons.
