CHENNAI: Expressing serious concern over the Union government’s tendency to privatise public sector undertakings through the National Monetisation Pipeline scheme, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said he would be registering the state’s opposition to such moves with Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon.
"Public sector undertakings are the assets of the people of this country and they serve as the taproots for the small and marginal industries. Privatising or leasing out the PSUs which have been functioning to serve the people will not augur well for the welfare of the country. I will be conveying the state government’s opposition to privatising the PSUs, through a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the Chief Minister said during a discussion on a special mention raised in the state Assembly.
Replying to the issue raised by K Selvaperunthagai (Congress) and T Ramachandran (CPI) during the zero hour, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said, "On such issues, the Union government should consult the state government since it has granted lands required for creating these public assets. For example, the Tamil Nadu government has given a huge extent of land for establishing the Salem Steel Plant. If the Union government attempts to privatise even profit-making public sector undertakings, the DMK government will oppose it."
The minister also said the Niti Aayog under the Union government has launched the National Monetisation Pipeline scheme which envisages handling of public assets on Public Private Partnership mode. Under this scheme, many assets in Tamil Nadu including certain roads, heritage train service in Ooty and berth facilities in Thoothukudi harbour have been identified.