Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday visited the memorials of DMK founder and former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and his father Kalaignar Karunanidhi on the first anniversary of his government in the state. He also took a surprise ride in a bus to check the efficiency of free travel for women scheme. The Chief Minister also announced five new schemes on Saturday by making a statement under Rule 110 in the state Legislative Assembly. The first scheme, according to the Chief Minister, is to provide nutritious morning tiffin on all working days to government school students from Class 1 to 5. Initially, the scheme would be implemented in certain municipal corporations and remote villages. Under the second new scheme, Medical assistance and nutrients would be provided to students under the age of six for setting right the nutrient deficiency in these children.
The Chief Minister said that 25 higher secondary schools run by the state government and municipal corporations will be upgraded under the third scheme as schools of excellence and an amount of Rs 150 crore is earmarked for the same. These schools, according to the Chief Minister will be upgraded in line with the model government schools in Delhi. To provide health care to the people, the government intends to open urban health centres in line with primary health centres under the fourth scheme announced by the Chief Minister. The government, according to the Chief Minister, will establish 708 urban hospitals in 21 municipal corporations and 63 municipalities. These hospitals will function from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to treat outpatients. The buildings for these schemes will be constructed at a cost of Rs 180.45 crore.
The fifth scheme will be to extend the already existing scheme of 'Chief Minister in your constituency' to all the 234 constituencies and long-pending needs of the people will be fulfilled in consultation with the local MLAs. The scheme would be implemented under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister. While speaking in the Assembly, Stalin said that he has implemented 60 to 70 per cent of the promises made in the election manifesto in its first 365 days. He said that while he does not have the speaking or writing prowess of his father and former Chief Minister late Kalaignar Karunanidhi, he works hard like his father. While leaders of several political parties greeted the Chief Minister on the occasion of the first anniversary of the government in the assembly, the AIADMK lashed out against the Chief Minister and the government. Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami blamed the Stalin government for deterioration of law and order situation in the state and cited the examples of lockup murders in the state.