MADURAI: Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister M K Alagiri today expressed confidence that the welfare schemes launched by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for the benefit of poor people would help DMK to retain power in the coming assembly elections.
People would remember Karunanidhi for his schemes and elect him not only for the sixth time but even the seventh time, he said laying the foundation stone for a Rs 780.50 crore comprehensive Cauvery Drinking water scheme and launching various other projects here.
"Kalaingar (Karunanidhi) will be elected as CM not only for the sixth time, but even for a seventh time," Alagiri, the elder son of Karunanidhi, said referring to the speeches at the function on the various schemes launched by the DMK Government in the last five years.
He also laid the foundation for the campus of Anna University (Madurai), for which Rs.50 crore had been sanctioned, declared open Rs 28 crore extended buildings of the Government Rajaji hospital and colonies of state Housing Board and Slum Clearance Board costing Rs.63.50 crore.
Alagiri, representing Madurai in Lok Sabha, had allocated Rs 1.5 crore from the MP's Local Area Development Fund to provide water treatment plants to 15 slum areas in the city where the water contained saline.
Alagiri thanked Health Minister M.R.K.Panneerselvam for sanctioning "Life saving treatment facilities" for the Rajaji Hospital. The latest facilities at the extended building would be available for the first time, in government hospitals, outside Chennai.
Higher Education Secretary K.Ganesan said the government's achievements in the field of higher education in the last five years were remarkable and unprecedented in the history of the state.
He said 12 engineering colleges had been started by the DMK Government at a cost of Rs 25 crore each. Besides, six universities and 12 arts and science colleges had also been opened.
The number of students in all colleges together which was 2.81 lakh in 2005-06 had steeply risen to 6.15 lakh in the current year."This is a great and noble achievement," he said.
Tamil Nadu Housing Board Managing Director R.Sudalai Kannan said the slum clearance board had constructed 752 flats at a cost of Rs.24.59 core in Ellisnagar, 192 flats at Aruppukottai road and 720 flats at Rajakoor.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice Empowerment D Napolean and state Adidravidar Welfare Minister A.Tamilarasi also spoke.