Spending on education, health not freebies: Stalin

Stalin also pointed out that exemption from paying fees is given out of the State government’s concern for students.
Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin. (File Photo | A Raja Chidambaram, EPS)
Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin. (File Photo | A Raja Chidambaram, EPS)

CHENNAI: Joining the debate on freebies offered by political parties, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday said spending on education and healthcare of the public cannot be described as “freebies”.

Apparently taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had shunned the political culture of offering freebies to score electoral victories, the CM said social welfare schemes are not freebies since they are offered to help the poor and marginalised.

“Some people have now emerged with advice that there should be no freebies. We don’t bother about that. I refrain from speaking more on this subject since it would be tantamount to bringing in politics here,” Stalin said at a function of the Kapaleeswarar Arts and Science College in his constituency, Kolathur.

The chief minister also referred to the Supreme Court’s verdict that welfare schemes are different from freebies, and said a big debate is going on across the country in this regard.He said that at the college in Kolathur, the State government offered free classes for first-year students, and this will now be provided for second-year too. Stalin also pointed out that exemption from paying fees is given out of the State government’s concern for students.

“We do this as our duty towards the students.”He further said his government has been implementing schemes such as Illam Thedi Kalvi, Kalloori Kanavu, Naan Mudhalvan, free breakfast for school students, and Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam. “These are not freebies but social welfare schemes to help the poor and marginalised,” he added.Continued on:

CM inaugurates projects worth Rs 5.63 crore

Meanwhile, during his visit to Kolathur constituency, Stalin inspected the work on stormwater drains (being done at a cost of Rs 30.77 crore), and laid the foundation stone for new projects costing Rs 2.71 crore. He also inaugurated projects worth Rs 5.63 crore, and visited the Jamalia area, SRP Koil Road, Paper Mills Road, Rohini Road, and GKM Road, among other places. At a function in Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, 1,546 students received bicycles worth Rs 78.30 lakh from the chief minister, and at Kapaleeswarar Arts and Science College, he handed over Rs 10,000 as education fees to each of the 434 students.

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