Following the visit of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to foreign countries to woo investors, a number of state Ministers have seized this opportunity to visit foreign countries. This, however, has left the State administration in limbo.
Chennai:
EPS left on July 28 for the UK and the US where MoUs worth several thousand crores of rupees have been signed so far. After finishing his 13-day programme, he is scheduled to return to Tamil Nadu on September 10.
Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar accompanied the Chief Minister to the UK where he signed agreements with health care facilities. Later, when the CM travelled to the US, he was accompanied by three Ministers, RB Udayakumar, Minister for Revenue and Information Technology, KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, Dairy Minister, and MC Sampath, Industries Minister.
Following this, a host of other Ministers travelled to various foreign countries both for official and personal reasons. While State Minister for Information Technology, Kadambur C Raju, travelled to Mauritius, the Minister for School Education, KA Sengottaiyan left for Finland, Labour Minister, Nilofer Kafeel, left for Russia, and Forest Minister, Dindigul C Srinivasan, took a tour of three southeast Asian countries.
According to Secretariat sources, all the above Ministers went on official tours to participate in a series of programmes and meetings.
Three other Ministers, meanwhile, have gone to foreign destinations on personal visits. Sources also said that Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture Ma Foi K Pandiarajan started for Egypt and he was accompanied by his family. Similarly, Law Minister, C Ve Shanmugam and Higher Education Minister, K P Anbazhagan, have left for Singapore.
Sources further said that as a number of Ministers are now abroad, the State administration has come to a standstill. “Chief Secretary Shanmugam is presently accompanying EPS to the US and a host of other secretaries too are accompanying the CS. Thus, in their absence, many files are pending,” said a Secretariat official. Even subordinates are skipping regular work. “The Ministers have realised that their rule might end and so they are enjoying their final days by visiting foreign countries. However, the State administration is perplexed,” RS Bharathi, Organising Secretary, DMK, told DT Next.
After wrapping up his 13-day programme, EPS is scheduled to return on Sept 10.