CHENNAI: Days after TVK won the bye-elections to the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced projects worth Rs 1,545.5 crore for the two constituencies, drawing criticism from the DMK, AIADMK, CPI and CPM over selective announcement of schemes when bye-elections are due in five other constituencies.
The projects cover drinking water, agriculture, education, healthcare, housing and civic infrastructure. Several other initiatives were also announced without cost estimates.
While the opposition parties acknowledged that announcing welfare schemes was not objectionable in itself, they questioned the decision to prioritise the two constituencies where TVK had won, alleging that it could influence voters in the five seats where bypolls are due.
For Dharapuram, the principal announcement is a Rs 1,439-crore Cauvery-based combined drinking water scheme covering 1,232 rural habitations. Of the 2,455 rural habitations in Tiruppur district, 1,223 are already covered under the existing scheme. The new project will cover five panchayat unions and seven village panchayats in Mulanur, besides 17 village panchayats in Palladam constituency.
Madurantakam to get 20K MT paddy warehouse
Several other initiatives were also announced for Dharapuram. For Madurantakam, the announcements include a 20,000-tonne semi-covered paddy warehouse at Athur at a cost of Rs 20 crore and a 25-acre state seed farm for Rs 10 crore.
The government has also proposed setting up six paddy procurement centres at a cost of Rs 1.80 crore, constructing a check dam at Athimanam for Rs 5 crore, renovating lake sluices at Sembundi for Rs 4.50 crore, carrying out desilting and bank-strengthening works at Nelvai for Rs 1.30 crore, and constructing a community hall at Thinnalur for Rs 70 lakh.
Citing Articles 164(3) and 14 of the Constitution, AIADMK lawyers’ wing secretary IS Inbadurai said the CM is bound to ensure equality before the law and equal protection for all. He questioned whether Vijay was governing all 234 constituencies impartially or extending preferential treatment to constituencies where his party had won.
A former DMK minister and sitting MLA described the announcements as a double-edged sword for the opposition. “Although it is kind of luring people to vote for TVK, criticising it would make us look bad, as if we are against the welfare schemes,” he said.
CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said the government should treat all Assembly constituencies equally. Selectively announcing schemes for two constituencies after winning them was aimed at influencing voters in the five other constituencies where by-elections are due, he alleged.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandiyan said there was nothing wrong with announcing welfare schemes, but doing so with an eye on garnering votes was wrong.
VB-G RAM G job days increased to 150 in TN
Chennai: The TN government has raised the annual employment guarantee under the VB-G RAM G scheme from 125 to 150 days for women-headed households, single women, persons with disabilities and SC/ST families
(With inputs from Prabhakar Tamilarasu)
