Cabinet Finalizes 436 Schemes Across Depts.
Minister gave a vision for the State under the title ‘Vetri Tamilagam’ (Victorious Tamil Nadu): Minister for Electricity C T R Nirmal Kumar
CHENNAI: Chairing the first Cabinet meeting of the new government on Friday, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay insisted on clean governance and allotted 436 schemes to various government departments for the benefit of the people in the State by giving targets to each of the departments.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister for Electricity C T R Nirmal Kumar said the Chief Minister gave a vision for the State under the title ‘Vetri Tamilagam’ (Victorious Tamil Nadu). The work assigned to the departments were aimed at implementing the election promises of the TVK.
The departments had been asked to come up with a detailed plan to implement the schemes by taking help from the officers concerned and also field experts, he said, adding that once the Chief Minister gave his approval, work on the implementation of the schemes would begin.
Instructing the Ministers to ensure that the benefits of the schemes reached the people through proper monitoring, Vijay told them to work for betterment of the people and not fall prey to corruption. He warned them of quick, stringent action if they were found to be corrupt.
The goal was to function as a clean government and the Ministers should also ensure that those working under them did not indulge in corrupt practices, Vijay had told the meeting.
The Chief Minister unveiled a long-term action plan for a State devoid of corruption and drugs and focused on youth development, women’s progress and growth of farmers and the fishing community.
Replying to a question on the closure of 717 TASMAC shops, Nirmal Kumar said the goal of the government was to realize the dream of creating a totally sober State and the police had been asked to crack the whip on narcotics. Shops illegally selling gutka, which has been banned in the State, were being raided and sealed by the authorities. In Madurai alone 24 shops had been sealed in two weeks, he said.
To another question on the Mekedatu dam project proposed by the Karnataka government, Nirmal Kumar said the Chief Minister had taken necessary steps to ensure that every attempt made by the Karnataka government to build the new dam across River Cauvery was stymied legally.