While gifting Government doctors a five-year increase in their retirement age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that in the past 24 months not a single charge of corruption had surfaced against his Government, which is seriously pursuing the development agenda as a panacea to all problems facing the country.
The Prime Minister announced that all his Ministers would be giving an account of their work to the people of the country soon.
Addressing a major rally at Saharanpur, marking two years of his Government at the Centre, Modi announced that his Cabinet will increase the retirement age of Government doctors to 65 this week to offset the shortage of doctors.
“There is a shortage of doctors. In Government hospitals, their retirement age is 60 years in some States and 62 in some others. If an adequate number of medical institutes were there, then we would have more doctors and would not feel the pinch. It is difficult to make doctors in two years but poor families cannot be forced to live without doctors,” said Modi.
“Therefore from Uttar Pradesh, I want to announce this to my countrymen that this week our Government’s Cabinet will take a decision and the retirement age of our doctors, whether in States or Government of India, would be made 65 years instead of 60 or 62,” he said.
Modi’s announcement came after he appealed to doctors to serve poor pregnant women for free on the ninth day of every month, saying it would contribute to his Government’s efforts to deal with illness among the poor.
“If one crore families can give up their lPG subsidy, then I am sure that doctors can serve poor expectant women for 12 days in a year,” he said to a cheering crowd.
The Prime Minister said over one crore people gave up their lPG subsidy and now at least five crore poor people would be receiving lPG connection in the next three years. He said earlier States used to get 35 per cent of the total funds, now they get 65 per cent of all Central funds.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the rally ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech that kick-started celebrations marking two-years of the NDA Government at the Centre, across the country. From ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme to the ‘Swachchh Bharat’ campaign, Modi listed out all steps taken for the well-being of the people by the Centre till date, and also gave the road map of what is to be expected in times to come.
On the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme, Modi said it is meant for every single Indian irrespective of caste, creed or religion. “In our country there’s a fashion that every scheme be linked to caste or religion, but for me the entire nation is my family,” he went on to say.
He said, “The Swachchh Bharat mission is not for the rich, it is for the poor. Because when they fall sick, they stop earning. And they spend 7,000 per year on a sick person. If there is cleanliness, this can be prevented.”
Talking about the welfare measures taken for farmers, Modi pointed out that in 2014 sugarcane farmers were in Rs 14,000 crore of debt and warned sugar mill owners not to hold back dues to the sugarcane farmers.
Affirming that his Government took concrete steps to free the poor from the clutches of money lenders, Modi said, “Development is the answer to all problems, that’s why my Government is observing ‘Vikas Parv’ and Ministers will give you account of their work.”