Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said here on Friday that the long-pending demand of the people of the Nilgiris for a medical college and hospital in the district had finally been met, with ₹.447.32 crore being sanctioned for its construction.
Addressing government officials and presspersons after a COVID-19 review meeting, Mr. Palaniswami said residents of the Nilgiris residents would no longer have to travel to neighbouring Coimbatore to get access to good healthcare.
He said 150 students would be enrolled in the medical college once it was constructed. The government was also looking at an air ambulance service.
Mr. Palaniswami said that following demands from the tea industry, a tea testing laboratory would be set up in the Nilgiris.
The Chief Minister said 800 houses had been constructed for residents who were repatriated from Sri Lanka, and 1,726 houses had been constructed for Adivasis in Gudalur at ₹ 15.7 crore. He inaugurated new buildings and projects and handed over welfare assistance worth ₹520 crore.
₹50 cr. for Udumalpet
In Tiruppur, Mr. Palaniswami said the State government will offer ₹50 crore to Udumalpet Municipality for the development of its infrastructure. The Chief Minister reviewed the COVID-19 precautionary measures and other projects that were under way in Tiruppur district.
Noting that Udumalpet is a historic town, he said the special fund will be used for facilities such as drinking water supply, street lights, underground drainage and parks. He also announced that the State government will take steps to install a statue of the Kangeyam bull at Kangeyam soon, a press release said. Following this, he met with the representatives of farmers, industrialists and self-help groups.
Apparel Export Promotion Council Chairman A. Sakthivel, who was one of the industry representatives at the meeting, said the Chief Minister had agreed to bring out a separate export policy for the State and to set up three industrial parks in Tiruppur district.
Prior to the review meeting, Mr. Palaniswami laid foundation stones for 12 new projects in Tiruppur district, including the Veterinary College and Research Institute in Udumalpet taluk.
The 12 projects that were under way in departments such as Department of School Education, Revenue and Disaster Management and Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board were worth ₹ 287.39 crore, according to the release. He inaugurated projects worth ₹ 31.68 crore in departments including Animal Husbandry, Fire and Rescue Services and Health and Family Welfare Department and issued welfare assistance worth around ₹ 66.73 crores to 5,592 beneficiaries from the district.
