On the last day of the Assembly on Friday, members from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress raised a few issues in the House after the reply by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address.
The demands ranged from a railway over bridge and releasing convicts from prison to implementing irrigation schemes.
After the Chief Minister wound up his speech that lasted over an hour and a half, DMK deputy floor leader Duraimurugan urged the government to construct an over bridge at a railway crossing in Needamangalam, Tiruvarur district.
He also sought the repair of a bridge in Katpadi that connected Tamil Nadu with Andhra Pradesh.
Former DMK MLA E.V. Velu raised the issue of pending scholarships to be given to students belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, while his party colleague N. Suresh Rajan pointed to inadequacies in Ockhi relief.
Cyclone victims
Congress MLA S. Vijayadharani argued that families that lost their houses to the cyclone should be treated on a par with fishermen.
However, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said ₹10 lakh was being granted to the fishermen by the State government, and another ₹10 lakh was provided from Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board.
When former Minister and DMK member Thangam Thennarasu raised the issue of challenges faced by the fireworks industry following an order of the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister said the government would ensure that the case was handled by a senior counsel.
A query from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni MLA J. Anbazhagan on convicts to be released in view of the M.G.Ramachandran centenary celebrations was clarified by Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam.
Parambikulam project
As for Deputy Speaker Pollachi V. Jayaraman’s plea over implementation of the Parambikulam-Aliyar project, Mr. Palaniswami said talks would be held with Kerala over the project.
AIADMK MLAs V.V. Rajan Chellappa and N. Murugumaran expressed their thanks to the Chief Minister for his reply to the Governor’s address.
When DMK MLA Palanivel Thiagarajan urged the State government to assert its rights against the Centre, a debate emerged from the replies made by Electricity Minister P. Thangamani, Leader of the House O. Panneerselvam and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin.
However, Speaker P. Dhanapal expunged the remarks citing the Assembly rules.
