TIRUNELVELI: A day after buying halwa from the famous Iruttukadai in Tirunelveli, CM MK Stalin took a ‘halwa’ dig at the central government for ignoring TN in the Union budget.
Announcing various projects for the district on Friday, Stalin said Tirunelveli is known for its world-famous ‘halwa’, “but now, the ‘halwa’ given by the centre to the state has become even more famous”.‘Halwa’ jibe is a Tamil expression of the sweet delicacy to mean deception.
Blasting the centre for not allocating funds to the state, the CM said the development of the southern districts will grow by leaps and bounds in the next five years. “It will make a tiger leap,” he said.
Stalin was speaking at a government function organised on Tirunelveli Medical College campus.
He inaugurated completed projects worth Rs 1,304 crore, laid the foundation stone for new projects worth Rs 309 crore, and distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 167 crore to 75,151 beneficiaries.
“The Thamirabarani-Karumeniyar-Nambiyar river-linking project will bring surplus water from the Thamirabarani river through a 75-km canal to the drought-prone regions of Thisayanvilai and Sathankulam. The project, estimated at a cost of Rs 1,060.76 crore, has been successfully piloted over the past two years and has now been officially launched,”
Stalin said, adding key projects, including Tirunelveli Western Bypass Road from Thalaiyuthu to Konganthanpatti, Ambasamudram Bypass Road, and a Rs 605.75-crore combined water supply scheme, would soon be implemented.
“Additionally, the plans for an eco-tourism and adventure park in the Manimuthar dam area are under review. Tirunelveli city is set to get an IT park in Perumalpuram, while a new district headquarters hospital will be established in Valliyoor.
Other medical infrastructure projects include a 50-bed ICU and laboratory at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, a super-specialty department for heart, neurology, nephrology, and liver diseases, and an additional block at Ambasamudram Government Hospital,” the CM said.
“A new SIPCOT industrial park will be established on 2,291 acres in Marukalkurichi and Thiruvaramangai villages in Nanguneri taluk. Another SIPCOT industrial park is planned on 1,200 acres of dryland in Moolakaraipatti. To ease congestion in Tirunelveli city, a Y-shaped railway flyover will be built between Palayamkottai and MGR Bus Stand at a cost of Rs 120 crore,” Stalin said.
Coming back to criticising the centre, the CM said in December 2023 heavy rain had wreaked havoc on Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts. Though two Union ministers visited the flood-hit areas, they didn’t facilitate any relief to the state, he claimed.
Criticising the Union budget, the CM said the Centre is repeatedly deceiving the state and has made allocations only for the BJP-ruled states and election-bound states.
He also said the Porunai museum, being constructed at a cost of Rs 33 crore, is set to be completed by April.
Left to launch nationwide stir condemning budget
Chennai : CPI national secretary D Raja said Left parties will stage a nationwide protest from February 14 to 20, condemning the budget. Addressing news persons in Chennai, Raja said the budget offers no relief or welfare measure for the underprivileged. He also dismissed government’s claim that raising income tax exemption limit will benefit middle class. Meanwhile, CPI said Raja will launch party’s protest by burning copies of budget in Chennai on Saturday.