Uzhavar Sandhais to be closed

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 25. The newly- elected AIADMK Government proposes to scrap some schemes of the previous DMK regime, even while reviving others abandoned by it.

The first casualty will be the `Uzhavar Sandhais' launched by the Karunanidhi regime. As it proved a ``failure'' with the intended benefits reaching neither farmers nor consumers, the ``non- functional Uzhavar Sandhais'' will be closed down, the Governor, Ms. M. Fathima Beevi said in her address to the Assembly today.

Instead, steps would be taken to give an impetus to local fairs functioning in Tamil Nadu for ages, through a ``Village Fairs Development Scheme'', she said.

The ``Cradle Baby Scheme'' and other programmes for child welfare launched during 1991-96 under the previous AIADMK Government, but given up during the DMK rule, would be revived.

An ``Expeditious House-site Allotment Scheme'' would be drawn up to achieve the objective of ``a house for each family''.

A comprehensive tourism development plan would be prepared and the new Government ``will accord high priority'' to the police force modernisation drive launched during 1991-96, the Governor said. The Government would also restore the morale of the State bureaucracy and the police which now ``stand demoralised''.

The AIADMK Government decided to press the Centre for early implementation of the Sethu Samudram project. And, in a major sop to the small scale industry, it decided to restore the purchase preference given to SSIs in State procurement. The DMK Government's 1997 Finance department order in this regard would be withdrawn.

* * *

Continue the scheme, says TRC chief

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, MAY 25. The founder leader of Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress, Mr. Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy, has urged the State Government not to close down the ``non-functional uzhavar sandhais'' (farmers' markets).

Instead, it should identify and remove shortcomings in the scheme and facilitate a smooth and effective functioning of such markets which, he said, were based on a good concept. Adopting a practice of winding up good projects of any previous government would be a ``wrong approach''. The poor and small farmers had benefitted by these markets, he told reporters here today.

The boycott of Governor's address by the DMK and its allies indicated ``political jealousy,'' Mr. Ramamurthy said and noted that the welfare schemes of the new Government such as provision of free bi-cycles and free education upto post-graduate level for girl students of Adi Dravidars, tribals and denotified classes, was a welcome feature. The Government should extend the scheme to those belonging to the BC and the MBC sections.

While lauding the decision of the Government to take steps for retrieval of Katchatheevu and to nab the forest brigand, Veerappan, and its decision to submit a White Paper on the financial status of the State, Mr. Ramamurthy, expressed disappointment over the absence of any welfare scheme for farmers and weavers ``who were hard hit by the globalisation and the opening up of imports.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : New farm, industrial policies coming: Governor
Next     : Let Govt. come out with white paper, says
           Karunanidhi