Centre plans national menstrual hygiene policy
The Central government is planning a National Menstrual Hygiene Policy, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, informed Lok Sabha on Friday. “The ministry has taken up the task to formulate a National Menstrual Hygiene Policy,” Pawar said in a written reply, adding that a national consultation with various stakeholders has been held and in-person inputs have been collated.
Cut minimum age to contest LS, assembly polls: Panel
The parliamentary standing committee on law and personnel on Friday said the minimum age to contest Lok Sabha and assembly elections should be reduced from the current 25 years to 18. This would give the youth equal opportunities to engage in democracy, it said. According to the present legal framework, a person should be at least 25 years old to contest both these elections. The minimum age to become a member of the Rajya Sabha and the state legislative council is 30 years. The minimum age for an individual to cast his or her vote is 18 years currently.
Panel calls for 2-year jail for filing false election affidavit
The punishment for filing a false election affidavit should be enhanced to a maximum of two years, but the penalty should only be applied in exceptional cases and not for minor errors or unintentional mistakes, said the standing committee on law and personnel headed by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, on Friday. “The current punishment of six months under Section 125A is insufficient and should be increased. The severity of punishment should be based on the severity of the offence committed,” it said.
No data on death of medical professionals on duty, says govt
The Centre does not maintain the details of the number of fatalities of medical professionals, including doctors on duty, due to attacks by violent patients, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Lok Sabha on Friday. He said that under constitutional provisions, ‘health’ and ‘law and order’ are state subjects. Therefore, states and UTs have the primary responsibility to take note of events and eventualities, and to take appropriate action to prevent violence against doctors, including the imposition of penalties or setting up helplines to extend immediate help, he said.
Govt launches special drive to bust unsafe health supplements
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Lok Sabha on Friday said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has carried out a special drive against health supplements sold in the market that were not complying with the rules. During the drive, 1,326 samples were taken from across the country, of which 1,229 were sent for testing. About 202 samples were found to be non-compliant with the respective food product standards and action has been taken, Mandaviya said.
24.30 cr Ayushman cards created under AB-PMJAY
A total of 24.30 crore Ayushman cards have been created under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the Centre’s flagship programme, out of which 45.09 lakh cards have been created in Tamil Nadu till July 30, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Lok Sabha on Friday. Till July 30, 5.43 crore hospital admissions worth Rs 66,763 crore have been authorised under the scheme, the minister said.