The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Land allotment delaying health projects, says Anbumani

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Land allotment delaying health projects, says Anbumani

P.V.V. Murthi

“Centre and State should work in unison for success of schemes”

ARAKKONAM: The Centre could not commence work on a few health projects granted to Tamil Nadu in view of the delay in land allotment by the State government, Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said here on Sunday.

Laying the foundation stone for road over bridges (ROBs) on Arakkonam-Sholinghur Road in Arakkonam, near the Sholinghur railway station at Banavaram and near the Wallajah Road railway station at a function here, Dr. Ramadoss said he agreed with Public Works Department Minister Durai Murugan that both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government should work in unison for the success of development and welfare schemes meant for the public. “The Centre has given whatever the Tamil Nadu government asked for. You should make use of it. We have granted Rs.100 crore to the Institute for Women and Children, Egmore, Rs.50 crore for the establishment of a world class blood bank, and we are ready to establish a plasma fractionation unit in Tamil Nadu, provided the State government provides the needed cooperation,” the Union Health Minister said.

Allotment of land was being delayed by the State government for the establishment of the National Institute of Ageing, for which Rs.50 crore has been sanctioned. Besides, we could not get the five acres needed for the establishment of the National Institute of Siddha Research near Chennai, though it was four years since the Centre decided to establish it. It also sanctioned Rs.180 crore for the establishment of a world class modern hospital in Madurai. “If you cooperate, we will implement more schemes for Tamil Nadu,” he said.

R. Velu, Union Minister of State for Railways, said the Railways sanctioned Rs.822 crore for laying a double track from Chennai to Tuticorin.

Road over bridges

Mr. Durai Murugan said the two level crossings in the Arakkonam-Sholinghur Road proved to be obstacles for the industrial development on this stretch. Once the ROB was completed, it would boost the industrial development of this region. He urged the Railway Ministry and the State Highways Department to complete the work on the ROB in Karnambut near Katpadi, which remained incomplete for a long time. He also requested the Railway Minister to meet the statutory obligation of returning to Tamil Nadu 40 per cent out of the 50 per cent contribution it made for ROBs for maintaining the Railway Protection Force.

M.P. Saminathan, Tamil Nadu Minister for Highways and Ports, said Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi instructed him to cooperate with the Centre whenever proposals were made for the construction of ROBs on a 50-50 cost-sharing basis. While 151 ROBs were taken up in the last four-and-a-half years, 90 bridges were built in the last three years, as against only nine during the 10-year-period prior to 2006. Thirteen pending ROBs were completed recently, he added.

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