Traditional medicine practitioners in TN to get Rs 3,000 as pension

CHENNAI: The State Health Department accepted the long-pending demand of the medical practitioners aged 60 years and above and serving in Siddha, Ayurveda and Homoeopathy medicine on a hereditary basis to be given a monthly financial aid of Rs 3,000 instead of Rs 1,000.

A total of 61 parampara (hereditary) doctors registered with the Tamil Nadu Indian Medical Association will receive the financial assistance from the government.

Chief Minister MK Stalin issued orders for pension to 11 retired hereditary doctors as token of issuing the order on Thursday. Earlier, a pension of Rs 500 per month was given to the registered Siddha doctors in Tamil Nadu Indian Medical Association. This was later extended to registered hereditary Ayurvedic, Unani, and Homeopathic physicians above 60 years of age and the pension was increased to Rs 1,000 in December 2011.

The doctors had demanded that based on the current economic situation, the monthly pension of Rs 1,000 is not sufficient for their minimum requirements and hence, the pension of Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathic doctors will be increased to Rs 3,000 from the current year.

Meanwhile, talking about the Siddha Medical University in the State, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that Siddha Medical University will be established in Tamil Nadu after Governor's approval.

The Bill to set up the university was passed in the State Assembly on 28 April, 2022. After the Bill on the same was sent to the Governor seeking approval, he had sent a letter to examine whether certain sections related to admission of students in the Medical National Commission of India Act, 2020 are in conflict with the provisions of the bill to set up the Siddha University.

The Health Minister said that the legal experts have been consulted on this and a detailed reply has been given to the governor on September 17, 2022 through the Health Secretary. He said that there was no conflict with the sections of the Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical University Bill and the National Medical Commission of India Act, 2020 and the Homeopathic National Commission Act.