UDF moots raising retirement age of doctors

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF liaison committee, which met here on Wednesday, has recommended to the State Government to raise the pension age of doctors, including specialists, in the health service to 60, on a par with medical college teachers.UDF convener P P Thankachan told mediapersons that the next meeting of  the Front would discuss the scope of increasing the retirement age of  ayurveda and homoeo college teachers, as well as issues pertaining to the pension age unification. The meeting urged the State Government to start new medical colleges in Kasargod, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Harippad under a society headed by the Chief Minister. Though there was a proposal for a medical college in Manjeri, it was shelved on account of a few hurdles, the convener said. Though a report on the corrupt affairs in Pariyaram Medical College was brought to the meet, it was decided to discuss the matter later.The UDF entrusted Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to solve issues on the self-financing education sector with those concerned by January 31. A sub-committee headed by Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb was formed to rectify anomalies  in the single-window admission of the higher secondary stream.The meet also authorised Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala to settle the running feud between R Balakrishna Pillai and his Minister-son K B Ganesh Kumar. Incidentally, there were no representatives of the Kerala Congress(B)  faction at the meet, while it was rumoured that Balakrishna Pillai was agitated at the apparent support being extended to his son by the KPCC leadership and Chandy.Thankachan said that the UDF didn’t discuss the Mullaperiyar issue. He said that the KC(M) representatives told the meet that they were not for any direct agitation on the issue at this juncture. The UDF convener said that Kerala stands to lose heavily by provoking Tamil Nadu and efforts should be made to find an amicable settlement. The meet also urged the State Government to ensure steps to facilitate the conduct of the Piravom bye-election at the earliest.