CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and sought the Centre’s nod for Tamil Nadu to provide humanitarian aid to Sri Lankan Tamils, hit by the economic crisis.
The Chief Minister handed over a 14-point charter of demands to the PM during his 30-minute meeting. “Tamil Nadu is willing to provide essential commodities and life-saving medicines to Tamils living in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka and Colombo and those working in plantations as a life-saving measure and help them, particularly women and children,” the Chief Minister said in the memorandum.
Stalin said many Lankan Tamils are coming to Tamil Nadu by sea due to the crisis. “Recently, 16 people reached Tamil Nadu shores. They have been given shelter at the permanent transit camp for Sri Lankan Tamils at Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district,” he said.
“My meetings with the PM and Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh were satisfactory. The PM gave a patient hearing and assured me of appropriate action on the demands,” the Chief Minister told reporters at the Tamil Nadu House.
Stalin said during his meeting with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister he had pointed out that though the State had passed a Bill seeking exemption from NEET for the second time, Tamil Nadu Governor has not forwarded it to the President so far and sought appropriate action on the Bill.
Referring to the difficulties faced by students due to NEET, the Chief Minister said the State government must be allowed to fill all seats in professional courses, including MBBS, BDS and AYUSH, exclusively on the basis of Class XII marks. Early disbursal of flood relief by the Centre and funds for modernisation of police and fire and rescue services departments were among the demands made to Amit Shah.
Stalin seeks defence land for Kovai aviation hub
Early transfer of lands from Defence Department to the Tamil Nadu government for establishing of new airports and setting up of an aviation technology hub in Coimbatore were among the requests made to Union minister Rajnath Singh, the chief minister said.
“During my meeting with Nitin Gadkari, I made a request to convert the Chennai-Kanniyakumari National Highway into a six-lane road. I also sought extension of the Chennai-Maduravoyal expressway up to Sriperumbudur and expediting of work on the Tambaram-Chengalpattu Elevated Corridor,” Stalin added. In the memorandum, the chief minister also requested the Union Home Ministry to advise the Sri Lankan government to ensure that equal political and civil rights are provided to its Tamil citizens.
He said that a total of 3,04,269 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have come to the State after ethnic clashes broke out in Sri Lanka in 1983. According to data as of September 1, 2021, 58,696 people of 18,966 families are staying in 108 rehabilitation camps (including two special camps in Tiruchy and Ramanathapuram) located in 29 districts of Tamil Nadu. At least 34,148 Sri Lankan Tamils are staying outside these camps.
Other key demands of CM