CHENNAI: With the demand raised by a DMK MLA in the Assembly urging the government to consider providing incentives to couples for having third child raising eyebrows, Chief Minister MK Stalin clarified, “We are only saying that such a situation may arise. We are not forcing it.”
The CM was responding to a question on whether the government has plans to encourage population growth while inaugurating various government schemes in North Chennai on Tuesday evening.
Bargur DMK MLA D Mathiazhagan raised the demand in the Assembly in the light of the Union government’s policy of allocating funds to states based on population size, as well as the anticipated population-based delimitation, which could reduce the number of MPs representing TN.
To another query about DMK’s target of winning 200 seats out the total 234 in the Assembly polls, Stalin said, “We will win more than that.”
When asked about the allegation by former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan that DMK ministers are misusing taxpayers’ money, Stalin responded, “She has no other job. That is why she is making such statements. There’s nothing more to it.”
Welfare schemes
Earlier, the chief minister handed over houses to 130 beneficiaries at Jamalia, constructed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board at a cost of Rs 23.04 lakh.
He also laid the foundations for various government projects worth Rs 40.34 crore and inaugurated completed projects worth Rs 6.90 crore.
Besides, he distributed welfare measures to the beneficiaries in his Kolathur Assembly constituency, and flagged off an ambulance with advanced life support facility and also two battery operated vehicles, supported by KVB under its CSR funds to the Periyar government hospital in Kolathur.