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Governor's Address in the Legislative Assembly on 6th January 2010
With a view to encouraging students who do not have any
graduate in their families so far and pursue professional education after
securing admission under the single window system, the Government has decided to
bear the entire tuition fee payable by these students in government and private
engineering, medical, dental, agricultural, veterinary and law colleges,
irrespective of their caste or income.
Under the scheme of providing free colour television sets to
the poor families enabling them to have access to television, a medium of
entertainment as well as a means to know contemporary world affairs and acquire
scientific knowledge, in the first four phases, 1,12,80,000 colour television
sets have been procured and so far, 96,09,220 families have received free colour
television sets. Further, under the fifth phase of this scheme, another 40
lakh colour television sets have been ordered and will be distributed during
this year also.With a view to ensuring steady industrial development as well
as meeting the constantly rising requirement for electricity by the growing
population, this government is implementing various projects for installing
additional power generation capacity in our state. Works are progressing
expeditiously for establishing 8,315 MW capacity power stations over a period of
next four years by means of projects of the Central Government and Tamil Nadu
Electricity Board (TNEB) as well as projects implemented through joint ventures
and private sector. Out of these, Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant is expected to
commence power generation during this year and the power plant being established
in Vallur in Tiruvallur distict, a joint venture between National Thermal Power
Corporation and TNEB, and TNEB’s own project of North Chennai Thermal Power
Station expansion, will commence power generation in the coming year.During the last three and half years and especially even
during recent economic downturn, several industrialists have constantly come
forward to make investments in Tamil Nadu thanks to easy accessibility and
transparent functioning of this Government. After this Government assumed
charge, 37 new industries with an investment of Rs.46,091 crores have been
attracted through a package of incentives thus ensuring employment opportunities
for 2,22,569 persons. Recently, the French tyre manufacturing company
"Michelin" has come forward to establish its world class manufacturing
facility with an investment of Rs.4,000 crores at Gummidipoondi near Chennai.
This reaffirms the leading position of Tamil Nadu in Automobile Industry.
Moreover, the Financial City, coming up near Chennai, will play a major
role in the future development of Tamil Nadu. Apart from this, with a view to
ensuring that the benefits of industrial development reach the people in all
parts of the State, this Government has encouraged entrepreneurs to establish
their industries in various parts of the State like Gangaikondan, Perambalur,
Palladam and Cheyyar.This Government realizes that the only solution for the
present socio-economic problems of southern districts lies in their industrial
development. With deep concern for the industrial development of the southern
districts, this Government is implementing a scheme of offering a package with
additional incentives to encourage investors who come forward to establish
industries in the southern districts of the State. As a result of this, Videocon
has come forward to establish a plant for manufacturing colour television sets
and other electronic consumer durables, at Manamadurai in Sivaganga district
with an investment of Rs.1,600 crores. Furthermore, Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited
has commenced the work for establishing a granite cutting and polishing unit in
Melur Taluk of Madurai District. As a result of the efforts of the Hon’ble
Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, a company based in Indonesia and
Hong Kong has come forward to establish industries in Madurai and Sivaganga
districts for manufacturing tractors, steel alloys and forgings with an
investment of Rs.2,200 crores. Last month, ATC Tyres has commenced production at
Gangaikondan in Tirunelveli district.Considering the fact that large scale development is taking
place in urban areas of our state and that the urban population is growing at a
very rapid pace, this Government is according high priority towards
infrastructure development and poverty alleviation in these areas. Under the
Union Government’s landmark scheme of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission, 309 projects worth Rs.9,271 crores are under progress in
283 towns. Also, for the first time in the State, revolving fund assistance is
being given to urban self help groups.Works for the Chennai Metro-rail project, implemented in the
public sector at an estimated cost of Rs.14,600 crores, have commenced.
Similarly, the works for the Chennai Outer Ring Road, taken up at an estimated
cost of Rs.1,081 crores will commence soon. With a view to carrying out clean-up
and restoration works in the rivers like Cooum in Chennai and its suburban
areas, this Government has decided to establish a Chennai Riverways Trust under
the chairmanship of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister. This Trust will formulate
and implement projects required for cleaning up and beautifying rivers in urban
areas as has been done abroad.A number of major projects have been executed over the last
three and half years for solving the drinking water problem in different parts
of the State. I commend this Government for completing and putting into use the
Ramanathapuram Combined Water Supply Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs.616
crores ahead of schedule. Tenders for the Hogenakkal Combined Water Supply
Scheme, which is the only solution for the drinking water problems of Dharmapuri
and Krishnagiri districts having a high fluoride content in ground water, being
implemented at an estimated cost of Rs.1,929 crores are being finalized. The
works under this scheme will commence in the coming March.The Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, a
flagship scheme of the UPA Government, is being implemented very well in all the
districts of our state. Under this scheme a sum of Rs.2,885 crores has been
disbursed as wages in our state so far. Under this scheme, 82 per cent of the
beneficiaries are women and 59 per cent are Adi Dravidars. Accepting our
request, the Union Government has agreed to increase the daily wage given under
this scheme from Rs.80 to Rs.100. The enhanced daily wage has come into effect
from 1.1.2010.Under Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT) being
implemented by this Government, works to the tune of Rs.2,041 crores have been
taken up in 10,104 village panchayats so far. Works in the remaining 2,514
village panchayats will be taken up under this scheme in the coming financial
year. During the last three and a half years, works for rural roads, schools
etc., have been taken up, availing financial assistance of Rs.3,536 crores from
NABARD. By speedy execution of all these projects, this Government will ensure
provision of all basic infrastructure requirements of the people living in the
rural areas of Tamil Nadu.This Government has always extended a firm hand of support to
the local bodies so as to enable them to provide proper facilities to the people
and play their appropriate role in the development of the State. With the object
of relieving the urban local bodies of their debt burden, this Government has
waived their loan to the tune of Rs.787 crores. This Government has
progressively increased the quantum of State’s own tax revenues devolved to
local bodies from 8 % in 2005-2006 to 9.5% at present. This will be enhanced
further to 10% in the coming financial year. This Government has constituted the
Fourth State Finance Commission to make recommendations regarding devolution of
funds to local bodies and to explore the possibilities of revenue augmentation
by them during the period 2012-2017.
Having regard to the fact that house site pattas are
essential for providing housing facility to the poor, this Government had issued
orders reducing the minimum number of years one must have resided on government
lands to be eligible for a house site patta from ten years to five years as well
as removing the income ceiling. On account of this special initiative, 6,99,917
house site pattas have been distributed to the poor under this scheme in the
last three and half years. I am happy to announce that this requirement of
minimum number of years of residence will be reduced from five years to three
years and as a result thousands of poor people will stand to benefit by getting
house site pattas.
In order to provide housing to those engaged in the film
industry, inclusive of thousands of workers in this industry and those engaged
in the television industry, accepting the requests made by their associations,
the Government has allotted 90 acres of land near Chennai. The Government has
permitted them to construct multi-storeyed apartments on this land.It was only Hon’ble Chief Minister Kalaignar who had
established the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board in 1970 to construct tenements
in the place of urban slums and implemented the scheme for constructing free
houses for the Adi Dravidars in rural areas for the first time in the country in
1974. It was also only Kalaignar who had established Periyar Memorial
Samathuvapurams as embodiment of the Kural ‘All human beings are born equal’.
Even in today’s positive environment when our country and state are
consistently growing with concomitant improvement in the quality of the life of
the people, we witness with pain a situation where the demand for housing, one
of the most basic needs, is not yet fully met. While this Government has ensured
the social security and food security of the common man through various special
schemes and has also made creditable achievements in creating new infrastructure
in the last three and half years, a miserable situation still exists where,
across the State poor people are living in mud-walled houses with thatched
roofs, being subjected to natural calamities. Based on the last census and other
assessments, the number of such houses in the rural areas of our state is
estimated to be around 21 lakhs. If all these huts are to be converted into
permanent houses in our state, only under the present centrally assisted scheme
of Indira Awaz Yojana executed all over the country, then it would take another
30 years. Considering this aspect, in the first phase, with a view to
bringing light in the lives of the poor living in these 21 lakh huts, this
Government has now designed a fully State Government funded, mega project to
convert all these huts into concrete roofed permanent houses which will be given
free of cost to the beneficiaries. I take immense pleasure in announcing that,
under this scheme, commencing from 2010-2011, 21 lakh mud-walled houses with
thatched roof will be converted into permanent houses in six years. In the
coming financial year, being the first year of this scheme, three lakh permanent
houses will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.1,800 crores. This noble
scheme which would pave for hutless villages will be called ‘Kalaignar Housing
Scheme’.After this Government assumed charge, unorganised labour
welfare boards which were earlier abolished, have been revived and various
welfare benefits are being given through them. So far, welfare assistance worth
Rs.184 crores have been disbursed to 7,38,690 beneficiaries through unorganized
labour welfare boards.Under the scheme for providing monthly assistance to
unemployed youth, this Government has enhanced the annual income limit of the
family of the unemployed from Rs.24,000 to Rs.50,000. Under this scheme,
3,53,801 youth have been given assistance of Rs.240 crores so far.Educated rural youth do not have access to information on
employment opportunities as well as means to equip themselves with the skill
sets required for getting employment. With a view to changing this situation,
various employment camps are being organized in many districts of the State by
voluntary organizations with the participation of private sector, to create
awareness among rural youth regarding various employment opportunities in
private sector, especially in the information technology sector as well as to
prepare them for getting these jobs. Thousands of youth are benefited by
participating in these camps. ELCOT is also organizing massive camps in
association with private sector industry organisations. This Government commend
these voluntary organizations for their useful initiatives and extend its
support as well as cooperation.
This Government has accorded the highest priority to the
welfare of the people belonging to Adi Dravidar and Tribal communities. As never
before, 15 percent of the State’s total Annual Plan of Rs.17,500 crores, that
is, Rs.2,615 crores have been allocated for the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan for
Adi Dravidars. This Government has paved the way for socio-economic upliftment
of Arundhatiars who are the most disadvantaged among Adi Dravidars by providing
three percent reservation to them within the quota for Adi Dravidars. I am glad
to inform you that as a result of this step taken by the Government, 56 students
and 1,165 students belonging to Arundhatiar community have got admissions in
medical and engineering colleges respectively.
The Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development
Corporation (TAHDCO) had given loans to Adi Dravidar entrepreneurs to pursue
non-form sector enterprises. They have now represented in the Government to
waive these loans as they are not in a position to repay the same. I am happy to
announce that the Government has accepted their request and decided to waive the
loans given by TAHDCO for non-farm sector activities amounting to Rs.83 crores
being the overdue principal and interest as on 31.3.2009. 53,524 Adi Dravidar
entrepreneurs will benefit from this wavier.This Government has removed the difficulties in obtaining
community certificates faced by members of certain communities who are declared
as Most Backward and De-notified communities only in certain parts of the State,
when they shift their residence to other parts of the State and ordered that
they will be able to receive community certificates from any part of the State
where they are residing. While necessary Constitutional Amendment has been
effected to facilitate the provision of 27% reservation for students belonging
to Other Backward Classes in institutions of higher learning under the Union
Government, we urge the Union Government to also ensure that the benefits of
reservation enjoyed by the Hindu and Buddhist members of Adi Dravidar communites
are also extended to Christian Adi Dravidars.This Government had established 145 Samathuvapurams during
1996-2001. In accordance with the announcement of Hon’ble Chief Minister that
another 95 Samathuvapurams will be established in three years, 29 new
Samathuvapurams have been opened. The works for establishing another 30
Samathuvapurams are underway in this financial year. The remaining 36
Samathuvapurams will be established in the coming financial year.This Government has always been committed to giving women
their due recognition and position in the society and has firmly supported them
in playing their rightful role in the development of the society. It was this
Government, during its earlier regime, provided equal property rights and gave
33% reservation for women in employment as well as local bodies. In this
context, this Government welcomes the decision of the Union Government to
enhance the reservation for women in local bodies from 33% to 50%. The
recommendation of a Parliamentary Committee that the law for providing 33%
reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislatures should be enacted
immediately is a matter of great happiness, as a ray of light in the dark sky.
We urge that this Bill may be enacted without any further delay.The Self Help Group Movement, launched by the DMK Government
twenty years back, has taken roots and grown today into a massive social
movement. With a view to further strengthening this movement, 1,07,024 women
self help groups consisting of 16.59 lakh members have been newly formed in the
last three and half years. Further, in addition to having ensured that all
eligible self help groups receive revolving fund through an allocation of Rs.150
crores, these groups have also been provided with bank credit linkage to the
tune of Rs.5,022 crores.In the recently concluded session of the Parliament, the
proposed introduction of the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and
Management) Bill, which would have affected the livelihood of
fishermen, was deferred on the request of the Hon’ble Chief Minister.
Moreover, the Hon’ble Union Minister for Agriculture has assured that since
the draft Bill has significant bearing on the interests of the fishermen, the
Government of India will not move any further without fully safeguarding the
welfare of fishermen. This Government strongly urges that the Union Government
should not enact any law which is against the interests of fishermen. We also
urge the Union Government to take immediate steps to stop the frequent
harassment of fishermen from our state by the Sri Lankan Navy. Further, we would
continue to exhort the Union Government that the traditional rights enjoyed by
the fishermen of the State in Katchatheevu till 1976 be restored.After this Government assumed office, a number of welfare
measures have been provided to tsunami-affected fishermen. Nets, by-cycles,
torch lights, life-jackets and first-aid equipments were given to fishermen at a
cost of Rs.110 crores. In addition, the monthly provision of subsidised diesel
was increased from 1,000 litres to 1,500 litres. Fishermen who lost their
mechanized boats due to tsunami and took loans from banks to buy new mechanized
boats have represented that they are unable to repay these loans and hence
require the assistance of State Government in settling their dues. Accepting
their request, this Government has formulated a scheme in consultation with the
banks to remove the debt burden of fishermen who own mechanized boats. Under
this scheme, the entire principal of the loans taken by tsunami affected
fishermen will be repaid by the State Government. The Banks have agreed to waive
the outstanding interest on these loans. As a result, the State Government will
incur an additional expenditure of Rs.80 crores.In order to provide relief to Sri Lankan Tamils who had
become refugees in their own land undergoing indescribable miseries, this
Government has collected contributions amounting to Rs.52 crores and sent
essential relief materials to them. In this context, we convey our heartfelt
gratitude to the Union Government for announcing a relief package of Rs.1,000
crores for the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils on return to their places of
residence.Over a lakh of Sri Lankan Tamils, displaced by civil war and
accommodated in camps, could return to their original places of residence thanks
to the tireless efforts of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. It is a matter of
some solace that the Sri Lankan Government has assured that the remaining people
in the camps would also be allowed to return to their original places of
residence by the end of this month and provided with necessary rehabilitation.
At the same time, we urge the Union Government to continue to impress upon the
Sri Lankan Government that they must be extended full rights and protection,
their livelihoods lost during the war be restored and a permanent political
solution to the satisfaction of Sri Lankan Tamils be found at the earliest.As directed by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Hon’ble
Ministers have inspected all Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps in the State. After
ascertaining their needs, they submitted detailed reports to the Government.
Accordingly, a package of Rs.100 crores has been announced for providing
facilities like drinking water, roads and housing and works in this regard have
already commenced. In addition, free colour television sets have been provided
to them and the Kalaignar Insurance Scheme for Life Saving Treatments has been
extended to all families in these camps. Considering the fact that they have
been living in our country for many years without causing any problem, this
Government urges the Union Government to grant them permanent residentship.Besides honouring Tamil by conferring the status of classical
language, the Union Government has also established a Central Institute of
Classical Tamil at Chennai. The Hon’ble Chief Minister has announced that the
World Classical Tamil Conference will be held in a befitting manner in
Coimbatore from the coming June 23rd to June 27th. For
this purpose an apex committee headed by the Chief Minister and 20 other
committees have been constituted.Twenty halls will be set up in the CODISSIA complex in
Coimbatore to enable Tamil scholars and lovers of the language who will gather
in large numbers from all over the world, to exchange their views on the Tamil
language, its development and needs. A Conference Pandal with capacity to seat
thousands of people will be erected near this complex. As a commemoration of
this conference, a world class botanical garden by the name ‘Garden of
Classical Tamil’ will be established in Coimbatore.Recognising the fact that the humanity is a mere thread in
the fabric of nature and this thread cannot exist independently, nations of the
world have in-principle resolved in the recently concluded United Nations
Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen that necessary steps need to be
taken to protect the environment and prevent global warming. Our Hon’ble Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had stated that necessary schemes in this regard
will be implemented by our country also. Our Government, which has been
implementing many far sighted and progressive schemes, will contribute its mite
in furtherance of this objective. Accordingly, this Government will implement
schemes for protection of the environment and promotion of clean energy. For
this purpose, an ‘Environment Protection and Renewable Energy Development Fund’
will be established by this Government.In spite of the difficult financial situation due to the
economic slowdown, this Government has implemented the recommendations of the
Sixth Pay Commission for its employees and teachers. Accepting their long
standing request, noon meal workers and anganwadi workers have been given
special time scale of pay and special pension. While this Government has been
accepting all the fair requests of government employees, this Government would
urge that all employees should extend their full co-operation and involvement in
the great task of taking the Government’s welfare schemes to the people.As per procedure, regular appointment to the vacancies in the
Government service should be made only through the Public Service Commission.
During the interregnum caused by unavoidable delay in getting the selection list
from Public Service Commission for filling up certain vacancies, with a view to
avoiding delay in provision of essential services to the public, the Government
may resort to appointment of retired government employees to a few of these
vacancies purely as a temporary measure. This Government would like to clarify
that this temporary measure should neither be construed as affecting the
opportunities of the youth waiting for employment nor as an extremely harsh
measure of banning recruitment altogether.The works relating to the new Legislative Assembly cum
Secretariat Complex in the Omandurar Government Estate are progressing at a fast
pace. This large and beautiful complex, equipped with modern amenities, will not
only be of great utility to Hon’ble Members of Legislative Assembly and
government employees, but will also be a matter of pride to our state. In
addition, the works for the Arignar Anna Centenary library, a world class
library being established at Chennai, are nearing completion.In view of the consensus amongst all Tamil scholars and great
men that the first day of the month of Thai, being the first day of the
Thiruvalluvar Year, is also the Tamil New Year day, necessary legislation to
this effect was enacted and this day is now being celebrated as Tamil New Year
day. In addition to conveying my greetings for the forthcoming Tamil New Year
and Pongal, I also request everyone in the State to celebrate this day as a day
of great joy and festivity in our lives.
I conclude this address with the hope that you will always be
a source of strength and support for this Government which is endeavouring in
all possible ways to promote the welfare of the people bringing cheer to
workers, farmers and to all sections of the society.
Vanakkam
Jai Hind
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