NE NEWS SERVICE
TIRUNELVELI, AUG 7
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to the ”108” ambulance drivers and emergency medical technicians involved in the fight against COVID-19 here on Friday.
தாமிரபரணி – நம்பியாறு – கருமேனியாறு இணைப்பு திட்டம் 2021 டிசம்பருக்குள் நிறைவு செய்யப்படும். pic.twitter.com/eIT8FIqUeo
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) August 7, 2020
The Chief Minister, who was here to review the measures taken by administrations of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts on preventing coronavirus, said Rs 5,000 each would be given to these personnel who were working tirelessly in the battle against COVID-19.
Ruling out the scope for operating public transport services for now, Palaniswami said allowing people to travel freely would only result in rapid spread of the pathogen.
“Even yesterday, 12 persons who came to meet me during my visit to Dindigul district were found COVID-19 positive. It spreads fast. That’s why my government took stern measures to prevent the spread of the virus, from the beginning,” he said.
Due to the government”s efforts, Tamil Nadu continued to be first among the states in terms of prevention, high recovery rate and low fatality rate, he said.
“Neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka are witnessing more cases now. This is because they did not take effective measures that my government has taken (from the start),” the Chief Minister said.
Elucidating, Palaniswami said if the neighbouring states conducted 50,000 tests per day now, at least 10,000 of them may turn out to be positive cases. “But in Tamil Nadu,we are seeing about 5,500 coronavirus cases from about 60 – 62,000 COVID-19 tests conducted per day.
We are endeavouring to bring the positive cases further down so that normal life returns soon,” Palaniswami said.
Addressing MSME entrepreneurs, Palaniswami said his government was keen on promoting industries in the southern districts and would extend all assistance, including speedy clearances, in this regard. To help industrial units resume work, a committee has been formed to expedite the process of issuing e-passes.
“This committee is in addition to the one already formed to issue e-passes. Identity cards, which could be renewable the following month, will be issued to the employees based on the request from the companies,” he said.
The Chief Minister inaugurated 19 completed projects worth Rs 31.04 crore in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts and laid the foundation stone for 8 new projects worth Rs 208.30 crore, on the occasion.
People will decide on who should come to power, not Stalin, says Chief Minister
The people of Tamil Nadu will decide who should come to power in 2021 and not DMK president M K Stalin, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said here as he mocked at the opposition leader’s call to his party workers to ensure its victory in the assembly polls.
Palaniswami, who is also the AIADMK’s co-coordinator, said his government was taking forward late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s initiatives on securing investment and welfare measures as well.
“It’s the people, not Stalin, who will decide who should come to power,” Palaniswami told reporters here when his attention was drawn to Stalin’s appeal to party cadres to bring the DMK back to power. Stalin had written to party workers on Thursday on the eve of Karunanidhi’s second death anniversary, asking them to strive hard to win the people’s support and post a victory in the 2021 Assembly elections and dedicate it to the late leader. “We are doing everything within our means to attract investment to Tamil Nadu in a big way.
Even during the challenging times of COVID-19, my government is striving hard to attract investment besides creating jobs and ensuring livelihood.
Tamil Nadu has attracted investment of Rs 34,000 crore and signed 41 MoUs for the creation of 67,000 jobs. This is a big achievement during this crisis and Tamil Nadu is first among the states in India to attract such huge investments,” Palaniswami said.
“The government has formed an expert committee to examine the NEP,” he said when asked about the stand taken by his government in rejecting the three language formula. Both Palaniswami and Stalin are on the same page with regard to opposing the “three-language policy” suggested in the National Education Policy 2020.
On the e-pass system which Stalin wanted cancelled, the Chief Minister said he has formed a committee to expedite the process of issuing e-passes. “A committee in addition to the existing one had been formed to issue e-passes without delay. Identity cards, which could be renewable the following month, will be issued to the employees based on the request from the companies,” the Chief Minister added.
