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Budget
Speech 2002 - 2003
HEALTH SECURITY
55.
We are aiming to reduce the birth rate from 19.3 per 1000 to 15 per 1000,
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 52 per 1000 to 28 per 1000, Maternal Mortality
Rate from 140 deaths per one lakh births to less than 100 per one lakh births
and the death rate from 8 per 1000 to 6 per 1000 by the end of the Tenth Plan
Period. These objectives would be achieved by appropriate policy interventions
aimed at providing affordable and quality health care to the people of Tamil
Nadu.
56.
We believe that referral units such as Taluk and non-Taluk hospitals need
to play a more active role in health-care delivery to the people. This will not
only enable access to quality health care facilities locally to the people but
also prevent over-crowding of city hospitals. It
has been proposed to construct 200 new Health Sub-Centres at a cost of Rs.11
crores and 25 Primary Health Centres will be upgraded to 30-bed hospitals at a
cost of Rs.8 crores. Taluk and non-Taluk hospitals in rural areas will be
upgraded to 30-bed hospitals with operation theatres and X-ray facilities.
Such hospitals, if located near National or State highways, will also serve as
Trauma Care Centres.
57.
The Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine at Tambaram, which has been
playing an important role in providing treatment and counselling to patients
suffering from HIV and AIDS, will be strengthened at a cost of Rs.4.7 crores
during the next financial year. The Government of India is being requested to
convert this institute into a Regional Institute for AIDS Prevention and
Counselling. The Institute of Child Health at Egmore in Chennai will be
modernized and upgraded at a cost of Rs.21 crores with financial assistance from
Japan.
58.
Our Government is concerned about the inflationary impact on the cost of
allopathic medicines after the introduction of the product-patent regime as
ordained under the WTO from 1.1.2005. We
realize the need to further strengthen the Indian Systems of Medicine especially
Siddha, Unani, Ayurveda etc., to provide holistic and affordable health care
with special focus on the needs of the poor and the deprived. While existing infrastructure in
District Government hospitals on the Indian Systems of Medicine would be
upgraded during 2002-2003, it is proposed to prepare a comprehensive project for
obtaining domestic and international funding for giving an impetus to the
development of Indian Systems of Medicine during the Tenth Plan Period.
It has also been proposed to create
30 new payment seats in the Government Siddha Medical College after obtaining
the clearance of the Central Council of Indian Medicine.
59.
The Government proposes to set up a world-class Hospital based on the
Indian Systems of Medicine with public-private partnership in Chennai.
The Government will provide the land for construction of the hospital and
the land value would be our equity contribution in the project.
A Steering Committee is being constituted to finalize the modalities.
This project will be the first of its kind in India.
60.
The Government has formulated a ‘State Policy for the Aged’ to secure
a life of dignity and respect for our senior citizens. Voluntary organizations
will be encouraged to implement non-institutionalized services for the aged. In
order to provide specialized health care to senior citizens living below the
poverty line, this Government proposes to introduce a Health Card to enable them
to have access to quality medical facilities in super-speciality Government
hospitals.
61.
It is proposed to implement the National Programme for Rehabilitation of
Persons with Disability in four districts of Tamil Nadu namely Kancheepuram,
Tiruvannamalai, Theni and Ramanathapuram through NGOs to provide comprehensive
community-based rehabilitation services to the disabled.
It is also proposed to establish a State Resource and Training Centre at
Chennai. The scheme will be
implemented at a cost of Rs.3.8 crores.
62.
Livelihood security can be enhanced through value addition to
agricultural produce in the rural areas. Considering
the important role that agro-based industries can play in the development of
the rural economy, it has been decided to give special attention to such
industries in order to ensure remunerative returns to the farmers and high wages
to agricultural labourers. An allocation of Rs.1 crore has been made for the
Village Fair Development Scheme for 2002-2003 in the Budget. National Bank for
Agriculture Development (NABARD) assistance will also be sought for this scheme.
63.
This Government proposes to launch a new project for training one lakh
farmers over a period of three years on the methods of high-profit commercial
crop production. Necessary infrastructure for ensuring continuous technical
support to the farmers would also be put in place. This project will generate
1000 agro-based rural industries such as biomass power plants, oil extraction
units of Jatropa and Paradise Tree, and Ethanol Plants thereby creating new
opportunities for employment in rural areas.
64.
The Government has decided to restructure the existing Anna Marumalarchi
Thittam with the aim of giving a special thrust to agro-based rural industries
in the State.
As announced in the Governor's address, one agro-based economic activity with a
minimum capital of Rs.1 crore with the capacity to generate employment would be
encouraged in each of the 385 blocks in the State under the 'New Anna
Marumalarchi Thittam' and resources would be made available for this programme.
A sum of Rs.20 crores has also been allocated for the Village Self-Sufficiency
Programme, which enables community participation in resource planning,
mobilization, execution and maintenance of assets.
65.
We firmly believe that accelerated industrial growth and infrastructure
development leads to creation of new employment opportunities for the people.
The Government has formulated a `New Industrial Policy', the highlights of which
are as follows:
Ø
Rationalization and restructuring
of incentives.
Ø
Introduction of an effective
result-oriented single window mechanism with common application form.
Ø
Simplification of procedures and
introduction of self-certification.
Ø
Priority to infrastructure
development aimed at creating conducive environment for greater private sector
participation.
66.
Public-Private partnership for maintenance of infrastructural facilities
in the industrial estates, business development services, common facility
centres etc., would be encouraged by this Government.
Necessary steps for strengthening Small-Scale industries in Tamil Nadu
would be taken by the Government as Small-Scale industries play a vital role in
increasing industrial production, exports and generation of employment. The
District Industries Centres will be suitably restructured to enable them to also
function as Export Guidance Cells at the district level.
An Entrepreneurship Development Institute has been established in Chennai
with the objective of promoting business enterprise in the State.
A scheme for online registration of Small-Scale industries is being
implemented from this year in a phased manner.
An entrepreneur can file an application for provisional Small Scale
Industries certificate through the Internet.
This is the first time in the whole country that provisional Small-Scale
industries certificates can be obtained through online application by
entrepreneurs.
67.
This Government is concerned about the problems faced by the tea growers
in The Nilgiris district in the last two years. Appropriate
steps will be taken to enable the growers to get a remunerative price and to
protect the revenues of the State.
68.
Honourable Members are well aware that Tamil Nadu is a rapidly urbanizing
State and the distinction between rural and urban areas is increasingly getting
blurred. There is a need for major investments in the housing sector and in the
provision of basic amenities so as to improve the quality of life of the people.
69.
To support the rural and urban housing programme,
the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Housing Federation has earmarked Rs.337 crores to
fund the activities under this sector. Housing for the Adi- Dravidas has been
of prime concern for this Government.
During
2002-2003, the Government will construct 31,000 new houses for the Adi-Dravidas
and others and 15,000 existing kutcha houses will be upgraded at a cost of Rs.57
crores.
70.
The Government will be implementing a massive programme for slum
improvement in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore in the next financial year and a
sum of Rs.20 crores has been earmarked for this purpose.
71.
A new scheme for special repairs and upgradation of slum tenements in
Chennai will be taken up in 2002-2003 at a cost of Rs.25 crores. Efforts to
improve the basic infrastructure like roads, streetlights, storm-water drains
etc., in existing slums will be made through beneficiary participation and
contribution.
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