Tamil Nadu government gave land but Centre yet to sign: TN CM on Madurai AIIMS

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the state government has already provided land to the Union government for construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur in Madurai. Controversy over allotting the land started after opposition leader MK Stalin said the state government is yet to give land to the Union government for construction.

The Chief Minister also said that the officer appointed by the Union government is yet to fly down to sign the documents due to the pandemic.

Addressing reporters in Salem, the Chief Minister said, “We have given details for providing the land but the Union government has not taken it. The state government has given the whole site for construction.”

He added, “There was a pipeline so the central government once again asked us for 22 acres of additional land to change the pipeline. We have even given the additional 22 acres. Hence, the Tamil Nadu government has given the land and the Union government needs to just sign and take up the land.”

He added that the information was given to the officer in November 2019, but he could not visit due to the pandemic. 

“Even in November 2019, we have given information to the officer but he has not visited yet due to the pandemic situation,” he said.

In a separate event on Thursday, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management RB Udhayakumar also said that the Tamil Nadu government has given the land to AIIMS and has constructed a compound wall and a four-lane road around the site.

The leaders responded after DMK president and Opposition leader Stalin took to social media on Wednesday and said, “The Tamil Nadu government announced about the AIIMS project in 2015 and the project has been delaying for the past four years like an act to betray the voters.”

 “Before the parliamentary elections, the project was started with haste. It is going to be two years since CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam participated in the event. However, the land for AIIMS is yet to be given. Even the loan documents with JICA are yet to be signed,” he alleged.

Stalin also demanded the state and Union governments to swiftly complete the project.