PM Modi approves raise in doctors' retirement age to 65 years

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the retirement age of 65 years for doctors of central services, in an aim to strengthen the healthcare sector in the country, said an official statement.

"Prime Minister today (on Tuesday) approved the proposal of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for enhancing the age of superannuation of all doctors of the Central Health Service to 65 years with effect from May 31, 2016," said the statement.

It said the move will enable the government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period, and to provide better services in its public health facilities, particularly to the poorest, who are entirely dependent on public facilities.

Commenting on the new decision, Health Minister JP Nadda said:"This step will empower the government to strengthen the healthcare sector in the country. It will help in providing additional doctors in the health pool of the country.

"This will strengthen the efforts of the Ministry in conceptualising and rolling out various people-oriented schemes which WILL need the services of doctors in implementing them."

The decision comes after Prime Minister Modi's announcement at his Saharanpur rally recently that the retirement age of government doctors would be raised to 65 years.

Following the new announcement, the Haryana government also decided to raise the retirement age of state government doctors to 65.

State Health Minister Anil Vij said :"The decision would benefit 312 doctors, including 57 medical officials, 159 senior medical officials and other senior health officials such as health department directors and Director General Health Services."

Keeping in view the shortage of doctors, the Haryana government had earlier decided to raise the retirement age from 58 to 62 years and the process was on to implement this decision.