VELLORE: It is the state’s persistent questioning of the central policies, especially regarding education, that led to the Union government neglecting Tamil Nadu in the budget, alleged Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan on Wednesday.
He made the statement after inaugurating a new building for the Government College of Arts and Sciences, Katpadi, constructed at a cost of Rs 12.46 crore. Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, Handloom and Textiles Minister R Gandhi, and Vellore Collector VR Subbulakshmi also took part in the event.
Duraimurugan, addressing the gathering, emphasised the challenges of accessing education and highlighted Chief Minister MK Stalin’s dedication to the cause. He elaborated on the three categories of the Constitution — state rights, central rights, and general rights. He underscored the longstanding opposition to the shift of education from state to central jurisdiction during the emergency period.
In 2017, the current central government formed a 17-member committee to review the matter, with an imbalanced representation of 13 members from an upper caste community and one from the same community residing in Canada. Duraimurugan pointed out that Tamil Nadu’s insufficient funds in the financial statement stem from their opposition to such practices, but assured that the state government would handle the situation effectively.
Minister K Ponmudi, in his speech, lauded the Dravidian model of governance that gives more opportunities to women. In Vellore, it’s all women in key positions such as collector, district revenue officer, corporation mayor, and commissioner, he said. He highlighted the significant increase in female student enrolment in government colleges due to the Pudhumai Penn scheme, benefiting 2,71,710 girl students this year.
He also mentioned the establishment of 21 new colleges since Stalin took office, with five completed and 13 under construction. The selection of sites for the remaining three colleges is under way. He praised the Nan Mudhalvan scheme, which has trained 8,64,947 individuals.
The institution, initially named TN Government College of Arts and Sciences, was renamed Kalaignar Government College as part of former CM Karunanidhi’s birth centenary celebrations.