Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday batted for shifting education to the state list of the Constitution from the concurrent list amid raging controversy with governor R N Ravi over anti-NEET bill passed twice by the state assembly.
In his Independence Day speech, Stalin also announced a welfare board for Gig workers, extending the breakfast scheme to all government schools in the state, launch of a scheme that disburses ₹1,000 per month to every woman from September 15 and special skill coaching for those aspiring to join armed services.
On education in state list, Stalin said all subjects that have a direct connect to people should be brought under Constitution’s state list, in particular, education.
“Only by moving education to the state list of Constitution, qualifying examination method like the cruel National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) could be completely scrapped,” he said, adding that Dravidian stalwarts and former chief ministers C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi stood for autonomy for states in federal India.
Following the deaths by suicide of a teen, a NEET aspirant, and his father over alleged medical course related stress, Stalin on Monday urged President Droupadi Murmu to immediately give her assent to a state Bill that seeks to exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of the qualifying test.
{{/usCountry}}Following the deaths by suicide of a teen, a NEET aspirant, and his father over alleged medical course related stress, Stalin on Monday urged President Droupadi Murmu to immediately give her assent to a state Bill that seeks to exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of the qualifying test.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister also slammed governor R N Ravi for his pro-NEET stand. The Constitution (Forty-second amendment) Act, 1976 transferred the subject ‘education’ from the state list to the concurrent list.
Stalin said the nation, comprising states, should develop keeping in mind the growth of people of various races, languages, religions and cultures. “There cannot be a more happy news than the spread of social justice-led Dravidian model of governance of everything for everyone, across India.”
Listing iconic leaders including Dr B R Ambedkar and ‘Periyar’ E V Ramasamy, Stalin said all of them desired an egalitarian India. “We are running such a government in Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said.
On the occasion, the chief minister announced that approximately 55,000 vacancies would be filled in various government departments. For the benefit of retired personnel of the armed forces, the CM announced a plan to upskill them to facilitate suitable re-employment opportunities.
At an outlay of about ₹7 crore, 10,000 personnel would be trained, and all support would be rendered till they get right placements. Stalin said the monthly pension to family members of freedom fighters would be increased to ₹11,000 from ₹10,000.
The breakfast scheme for government school students would be extended from August 25 to all the 31,008 state-run schools which shall benefit 15.75 lakh students. The scheme would be launched in a school in Tirukkuvalai (Tiruvarur), where Karunanidhi studied and ₹404 crore has been allotted for the plan for the current fiscal.
He announced the setting up of a separate welfare board to protect the interests of workers of firms such as Ola, Uber, Swiggy and Zomato.
He reiterated that the monthly ₹1,000 assistance scheme for women (Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam) would be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of Annadurai.
The CM said the ₹1 lakh subsidy plan for women autorickshaw drivers to buy new vehicles would be extended to 500 more beneficiaries. He also announced ‘Kalaignar Centenary Park’ on a 6.09 acre land parcel on downtown Cathedral Road here at an estimated cost of ₹25 crore.
“The Indian Union’s Independence Day commences its 77th year. An important part of the Indian Union is Tamil Nadu.” Expressing pride in hoisting the tricolour, Stalin said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime is second to none in honouring freedom fighters and listed achievements in this regard.
The chief minister also referred in detail to the welfare schemes of the DMK regime and said, under the fare-free travel plan for women in government town buses, 50 lakh women travelled every day. “So far, in this scheme, women have undertaken about 314 crore trips in government buses and have benefitted. Each beneficiary is able to save over ₹850 per month on average.” He said during the past two years, since the DMK assumed power, Tamil Nadu has witnessed all round growth.
(With inputs from PTI)