TIRUCHY: PWD Minister EV Velu requested the contractors in Tamil Nadu to recruit more Tamil workers for construction works in the state as people from North India are mostly seen working here whereas Tamil workers are moving to other places like Bengaluru.
Velu was speaking at the first state-level conference of the Construction And Real Estate Industry Coalition(CRIC) held at Mannarpuram in Tiruchy on Sunday.
Ministers KN Nehru and Anbil Mahesh Poiyyamozhi also participated in the conference, which was headed by Pon Kumar, who is the chairperson of the Construction Workers Welfare Board of the state government.
Promising to look into the demands raised by the CRIC members, Velu said, "In a year, nearly 5 lakh members are added to the workers' welfare board. The construction works are increasing day by day in the state but Tamil workers are not benefited from this as the majority of the workers are from North India."
"If this situation continues wouldn't the North Indian workers dominate our construction field? This is not a simple issue. Only when the contractors give opportunity to Tamil workers, our state's economy would become healthier," he added.
"Construction workers of Tamil Nadu have a rich history as the new findings in excavations at Keezhadi and Tirunelveli throw light at. Big temples and the Grand Anicut(Kallanai) were also examples of their construction skills," he added.
Municipal administration minister KN Nehru while addressing the gathering, said, "Tiruchy's land value has risen multitude after the announcements of projects like the integrated bus terminus by this government. Now there are more prospects for jobs for the construction workers here. DMK government will be helpful for the construction sector."
Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said, "We would stand with the reasonable suggestions by the CRIC to improve the construction sector as well as labourers' welfare. We would take them to CM's notice."
Pon Kumar, also the president of CRIC said, "We thank the DMK government for cancelling the package tender system that was followed in the previous government. That system was the reason behind many irregularities."
He also listed a set of nine demands, to create a separate ministry for construction both in the state and centre, a separate committee to fix the prices of construction materials, reducing the GST for construction and housing to 5% among others.