MADURAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for the Rs 1,295.76 crore water supply improvement scheme under the Madurai Corporation and unveiled 12 completed projects worth Rs 69.11 crore here at the Collectorate on Friday.
The scheme would ensure round-the-clock water supply to city residents from all 100 wards by drawing water from Lower Camp of Mullaiperiyar dam under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). The CM approved the scheme during the MGR centenary celebrations in July 2017 and the project is expected to be completed by 2023.
The CM also unveiled the new Rs 30.19 crore building at the Collectorate campus. Other projects inaugurated by the CM include an additional building worth Rs 15 crore at the Regional Cancer Centre in Balarengapuram, additional hostel campus worth Rs 6.38 crore for PG students at Madurai Medical College, Chief Engineers building worth Rs 4.90 crore at PWD campus, Rs 4.3 crore Integrated Urban Development Mission (IUDM) in Thirumangalam Municipality, Rs 2.17 crore burn unit building at Government Rajaji Hospital, Rs 1 crore Agricultural Extension Centre at Usilampatti, Rs 75 lakh soil testing laboratory, Rs 60 lakh outpatient campus at Chellampatti Primary Health Centre, One Stop Centre worth Rs 48 lakh at Balarengapuram Government Hospital and a veterinary dispensary worth Rs 34.5 lakh at Thirumangalam. He also distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 3.9 crore to 2,236 beneficiaries.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the AIADMK government is aiming to make Tamil Nadu free of water scarcity and provide tap water connections to every household in the state. "A total of 76 integrated drinking water schemes has been undertaken. During the tenure of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, 4,090 MLD of water was supplied across the state. In the past 9.5 years of AIADMK rule, it has been multiplied and 7,600 MLD is now distributed. It is a historic improvement," he said. This apart, Rs 3,600 crore has been allocated by the central government to provide tap water connections to rural parts of the state.
The round-the-clock water supply scheme would address Madurai's water scarcity and provide 1.5 lakh additional tap water connections to city residents. While projects under Smart City Mission would add beauty to the city, several road renovation projects undertaken in Madurai would enable hassle-free vehicular movement, he added. Further, he also said the expansion of Madurai airport would be expedited.
Taking a dig at the DMK, EPS said, "DMK President MK Stalin is scared of AIADMK's growth and is thus hesitant to meet the public. Unlike him, we do not meet people through screens but face them directly. While all others can see the aforementioned developmental works and the state's growth during our tenure, Stalin chooses to be blind to it. He can see it only if he comes out of his video conferencing room."
He further added that opposition leader pressed charges against the ruling government to gain political milage, while the AIADMK government brought true the dreams of poor students from government schools by implementing 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation in undergraduate medical and dental admissions.
Stating that it was the DMK which signed the methane project, Deputy Chief Minister OPS said that the people of Tamil Nadu are well aware of the friends and foes of farmers. Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar said that the indebtedness of Madurai residents to the CM for implementing the water supply scheme would be reflected in the upcoming polls.