CHENNAI: Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday announced that a Natural Resources Management Plan will be formulated to carry out mining in an ecologically sustainable manner in Tamil Nadu and mobilise revenue for the government.
The Governor made this announcement in his maiden address to the State Assembly. "Though Tamil Nadu is endowed with rich mineral resources, the state government does not realise adequate revenues from mining. Revenues from mining have stagnated over the last decade," he added.
Referring to the vision of Chief Minister MK Stalin to make Tamil Nadu a ‘One Trillion Dollar Economy’ by 2030, the Governor said the government has already initiated various programmes and policies to achieve this vision. A detailed action plan titled ‘Towards One Trillion Dollar Economy’ would be prepared to realise this vision.
The Governor also announced that a publication division of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR and CE) would be established with state-of-art facilities to bring out books on the history and architecture of temples, and the rich Tamil literature including Bhakti literature.
"A drive will be launched to preserve the rare palm-leaf manuscripts available in temples and mutts. Major temples will be encouraged to have bookstalls wherein books about the history of temples, heritage, culture, and the Tamil language will be displayed," the Governor added.
Recalling the appointment of retired officials of the Archaeological Survey of India and state archaeology department as archaeological advisors for conservation, preservation, and renovation of ancient temples under the control of HR and CE Department, the Governor appreciated the state government for taking proactive steps to safeguard temple lands and effectively manage temple assets.
Stating that entrance exams create an unequal platform by being inherently discriminatory against rural students, the Governor said, "This government is of the firm view that entrance exams like NEET are unnecessary for student admissions to professional courses and will continue to reiterate this position."
On the importance of the state government's vision for a data-driven decision support infrastructure for improving governance, the Governor said, "The ‘Data Purity’ project aims to analyze data across various departments and to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the deserving. Implementation of the E-Office system is in progress which will enable speedy disposal and efficient management of files while improving transparency and accountability. A computerized system will be rolled out to effectively manage government assets using appropriate technologies."
Through the ‘Engum Tamizh Edhilum Tamizh’ scheme, the usage of the Tamil language would be popularised in all government institutions, private schools, shops, and commercial establishments. Necessary guidelines would be framed under the Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, 1956 to implement this scheme. Also, to encourage students to study in Tamil medium, 100 textbooks in various subjects in professional courses would be translated into Tamil.
Pointing out that the GST compensation regime is coming to an end on June 30, the Governor said the GST Council and the Union Finance Ministry should extend this compensation period at least by two years - i.e. till June 20, 2024. "After the introduction of GST, the state was not able to realize the high growth of tax collections that it had witnessed during the VAT regime. The Covid pandemic has further exacerbated this problem. The state’s revenues are yet to recover and it would adversely impact the state finances if the compensation is not extended for at least two more years," the Governor added.
The Governor also said the state government has sought Rs.6,230 crore financial assistance from the Union government towards restoration works in rain-affected areas in Tamil Nadu. He urged that funds from the National Disaster Response Fund be released immediately to ameliorate the effects of the damage caused by the floods.
Hailing Chief Minister MK Stalin and his government for handling the Covid pandemic efficiently, the Governor said, "When this government assumed office, the coverage of vaccination was very low, with only 8.09 percent of the eligible population having been administered the first dose and 2.84 percent, the second dose.”
He said in just seven months, due to the concerted efforts of this government, the vaccination coverage had been increased to 86.95 percent for the first dose and 60.71 percent for the second dose, with a total of 8.55 crore doses being administered.
The Governor also announced that the government would formulate a strategy to revitalize the tourism-based economy in Tamil Nadu leveraging the glorious history, cultural heritage, and pristine natural beauty with which the state is blessed. A new tourism policy including components to promote adventure tourism would be released this year.