Tamil Nadu

State Dementia Action Plan:
- Policy Priority: The State Department of Health and Family Welfare announced that dementia will be treated as a dedicated public health priority in Tamil Nadu.
- Institutional MoU: An MoU was signed with the Dementia India Alliance (DIA) at DemCon 2026 (held at IIT-Madras Research Park) to establish a comprehensive State Dementia Action Plan.
- Focus Areas: Early identification, population screening, clinical pathways, caregiver support, and training for healthcare workers to establish dementia-friendly health systems.
- Dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in cognitive functioning and mental abilities—including memory, thinking, language, and problem-solving—that is severe enough to interfere with daily life and independent function.

Education & State Administrative Policy

Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026:
- Governor’s Clarification: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar sought clarifications from the State government regarding specific provisions of the Bill.
- Statutory Revisions: The Bill amends the 2019 Act by reducing mandatory land requirements from 100 acres to 12 acres in Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), 18 acres in other municipal corporations/councils, and 25 acres in other areas, while halving the permanent endowment fund requirement to ₹25 crore.

Official Language Status for Tulu (Karnataka):
- The Karnataka Cabinet decided to grant official language status to Tulu for administrative functions across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

Project Cheetah Milestone (Kuno National Park):
- An Indian-born cheetah gave birth to four cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, increasing India’s cheetah population under Project Cheetah to 56.