State govt. has given ₹ 1,000 cr. for Madurai city’s development, says Minister

MADURAI Promising that the Tamil Nadu government would give everything for the development of cities

Promising that the Tamil Nadu government would give everything for the development of cities, Local Administration Minister K.N. Nehru said that Madurai Corporation had been given ₹ 1,000 crore.

The Minister, who presided over a review meeting with officials at the Collectorate here on Saturday, told reporters that for laying roads within the Corporation limits, building new concrete spaces for the curd market (thayir market), enhancing more facilities at the MGR bus stand in Mattuthavani, completion of underground drainage works and laying of drinking water pipelines in added wards, including Anaiyur among others, the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had granted the funds.

When pointed out that drinking water was being supplied once in four days in many wards, the Minister intervened and said that out of the promised 165 mld (million litres/day) per person, the Corporation provided 156 mld. “There may be some repairs in the pipelines, which, sometimes, would hamper in the distribution,” he claimed.

When reporters pointed out that the DMK councillors themselves were upset that no work was moving in Madurai city and that they were facing public wrath, he rejected it and said minor skirmishes should not be blown out of proportion. No CM would have granted such huge funds for one city, he said and added that in the last 10 years, there was no work done in such a phenomenal way.

For road laying works alone, he said that ₹ 68 crore was granted recently and two days ago, another ₹ 32 crore had been released. The Corporation authorities and Mayor have identified the areas for laying roads and he hoped that all the 100 wards would be covered soon.

Earlier, at the meeting, Mr. Nehru said that the representations from the elected representatives, including MP Su. Venkatesan and others, would be considered positively and taken up for implementation after examining the modalities. He appealed to the officials to be fair and transparent in execution of the works and assured that funds would not be a constraint.

The Minister said that he had so far visited 25 districts in Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, he visited Dindigul and Theni districts in the forenoon. On Friday, he toured Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts and said that only seven districts, including Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Kanniyakumari, and Villupuram, had to be visited. He said that after submitting proposals to the CM, funds would be released for projects.