Chennai, June 17 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President
M K Stalin today left here for New Delhi where he will call on Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and discuss various issues concerning the
state.
This is his first visit to New Delhi after assuming office as the Chief
Minister of the State.
During his meeting with Mr Modi in the evening, Mr Stalin will submit
a memorandum on various issues concerning the welfare of the State.
Issues such as GST dues, Central share of taxes, pending Central
allocation for various development schemes and scrapping of NEET,
which was one of the poll promises made by the DMK, will be discussed
during the meeting, sources said.
Apart from explaining the steps taken by his government to control the
spread of the second wave of COVID pandemic, Mr Stalin will also pitch
for higher allocation of drugs, essential medicines for COVID-19 and
mucormycosis and vaccinations for the State.
He is also likely to take up the issue of release of all the seven life
convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination
case.
He will also prevail upon the Centre on the need to release TN's
share of Cauvery river water by Karnataka as per the Supreme Court
order since the Mettur dam was opened to enable farmers take up
Kuruvai crop cultivation, besides registering Tamil Nadu's opposition
to the Mekedatu Dam project by Karnataka.
He would also seek the immediate intervention of Mr Modi and urge
him to instruct the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to cancel
the bid process for extraction of hydrocarbons in Vadatheru block
in Cauvery Basin, which has triggered opposition from the farmers
and political parties.
He would also urge Mr Modi to hand over to the State on lease basis
the Integrated Vaccine Complex set up by HLL Bio-Tech Limited in
Chengalpattu, for vaccine production and the need to speed up AIIMS
project in Madurai.
Meanwhile, Mr Stalin has been placed under +Z+ scale category security
due to threats from religious fundamentalists.
As the Chief Minister is facing threat from religious fundamentalists, Tamil
chauvinists and disgruntled elements, he has been placed on +Z+ Scale
Category of Security.
Reports said that, this being his first visit to Delhi after becoming the Chief
Minister, Mr Stalin is also expected to meet President Ram Nath Kovind,
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Ministers, including Home
Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman.
During his visit, Mr Stalin is also expected to call on DMK's alliance party
leaders, including Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi,
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, CPI and CPI(M) leaders.
He is also likely to visit the DMK party office in the national capital.
He would leave Delhi for Chennai tomorrow morning by a special flight.
UNI GV 0730