Prioritise inclusive growth, CM tells Collectors

The Chief Minister urged them to focus on issues by facing people directly

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday called upon the Collectors to focus on inclusive growth, including the marginalised sections, and said all districts should prioritise it.

During his concluding remarks on the second day of the three-day conference of Collectors and senior officials, Mr. Stalin said, “You should prioritise the requirements of the marginalised sections, minorities, the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and differently abled persons.”

The Chief Minister advised the Collectors to focus on issues like ‘patta’ transfer, issuance of certificates, removal of encroachments, among others, by facing people directly. He told them to undertake inspections at primary health centres, government hospitals, schools, students’ hostels, anganwadis and ration shops. “If only you undertake inspections, you will be able to see for yourself the quality of service offered by various departments to people, students, the poor and the downtrodden, and to rectify deficiencies, if any,” Mr. Stalin said.

Citing a study, the Chief Minister said deficiency of nutrients among children in Dharmapuri district was 36% and advised officials to focus on the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Scheme. “Though Tamil Nadu stood second in the economy, I regret to say that the State stands 19th [in nutrition among children]. It is our duty to set it right,” he said.

Referring to media reports about the lack of small bridges in a few districts for shifting the bodies of the dead and instances in which children had to wade through hip-high water during the last flood, Mr. Stalin said, “You should list such issues and resolve them, and that alone is complete administration.”

Mr. Stalin referred to Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam and Kalaignarin Anaithu Grama Orunginaintha Velan Valarchi Thittam, and said these schemes could benefit lakhs of people and urged the Collectors to focus on implementing them, coordinating with multiple departments.

The Collectors should organise monthly meetings with banks to ensure the annual credit plan by checking whether educational loans, loans for entrepreneurship and farm loans were being granted, he told officials.