DMK will be remembered for its welfare schemes, says Stalin

He inaugurates ₹118.40-crore five-storey Collectorate office in Ranipet

Slamming opposition political parties for portraying him as publicity seeker, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday said several welfare measures introduced by the DMK over the years would ensure that he and his party were remembered for a long time to come.

Launching a slew of welfare schemes, including the inauguration of the ₹118.40-crore five-storey Collectorate office here, he said women commuters would remember him whenever they board buses as travelling had been made free for them. They no longer needed to worry about money before boarding buses.

Likewise, anyone could become temple priests now irrespective of their caste, he said, adding that the initiative was taken by the DMK for which people would remember him. He said the Dravidian model of development and the concept of Union of States also would highlight his role in the initiatives. “I am one among you. The government is run by us, not just by me. Together, we work tirelessly for the development of the State,” he added.

For 9,600 persons from the Irula community in Ranipet, the Chief Minister said government assistance including free house pattas, community certificates, ration cards, voter cards and old age pension had been provided to 5,297 Irulas since May last and 9,522 persons with disabilities were provided welfare measures costing ₹15.89 crore. A total of 101 mothers of children with disabilities were given free sewing machines at the function on Thursday to stitch yellow cloth bags under the State government-sponsored manjapai scheme.

Referring to district-centric development, The Chief Minister outlined a list of schemes and projects to be implemented in Ranipet. Among them, a mega leather park costing ₹400 crore, covering around 250 acres at Panapakkam town in Sholinghur taluk to provide jobs for 20,000 persons, mainly women, was the major announcement. The Chief Minister also inaugurated 24 completed projects worth ₹150.58 crore in the district.

Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan; Minister for Public Works, Buildings, Highways and Minor Ports E.V. Velu; Handlooms and Textiles Minister R. Gandhi; S. Jagathrakshakan, Member of Parliament (Arakkonam); Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian and Z. Annie Vijaya, DIG (Vellore), took part in the event.