Allot funds to desalination plants: Thol Thirumavalavan to Nirmala Sitharaman
Chennai: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan demanded that the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allot sufficient funds to start desalination plants in coastal Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari districts.
In a memorandum submitted to Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Tuesday, he stated that Tamil Nadu is a water deficient state and has poor resources in both surface and ground water.
Desalination plants are the immediate solutions. He requested the Finance Minister to allot sufficient funds to set up desalination plants in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari districts. He appealed to the Central government to allot sufficient funds for setting up AIIMS, Madurai and the Smart City project in Tamil Nadu.
Pointing out that farmers are in distress and many of them are committing suicide, he sought the Central government to announce farm loan waiver in the budget. He said tht the unemployment rate is at a 45 year high. So a special scheme is necessary to address the issue. A massive employment generation program with subsidy to employment creating industries should be announced in the budget.
Thirumavalavan also requested the minister to increase the income tax exemption limit to Rs 10 lakh and convert all thatched houses into permanent houses within a time limit. He noted that a group of ministers under the chairmanship of Pranab Mukerjee in 2008 had recommended starting special classes for SC girls and boys in each block across the country. Successive governments had not implemented the recommendation.
He hoped she would make an announcement to implement the recommendation in her maiden budget speech. He sought the Central government to allot sufficient funds for post matric scholarships to SC and ST students. Due to inadequate allocation there was an arrears of about Rs 11,000 under the scheme.
VCK MP D. Ravikumar also submitted a memorandum to the minister in connection with schemes to be implemented in his Villupuram LS Constituency. After receiving the representations, the minister assured them that she will take appropriate action.
