Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah on Thursday said “serious efforts” were on to bring back Finnish mobile handset manufacturer Nokia to revive its operations and that the State would continue to implement the ongoing welfare schemes, including the low cost food chain, ‘Amma Unavagam’.
“The State government is taking very serious efforts for revival of the Nokia plant along with the component manufacturers and the Chief Minister recently deputed a team of officials to Taiwan to hold discussions with global companies like Foxconn. The issues pending with the government of India have also been taken up at the highest level to facilitate the revival,” he said.
Poll promises
In the inaugural address to the 15th Tamil Nadu Assembly after the AIADMK was voted back to power for a second consecutive term, the Governor said the government would continue to be led by policy initiatives like ‘TN Vision 2023 Document’, an initiative launched by the ruling party in its previous (2011-16) tenure.
Mr. Rosaiah said the government began implementing poll promises in right earnest immediately after coming to power."This government is committed to improving transparency in administration and will establish the institution of Lokayukta through appropriate enactment once the proposed amendments to the Lokpal Act are made by Parliament.”
He said that on assuming charge, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on day one waived loans of small and marginal farmers, provided 100 units of free power to domestic consumers and increased gold allocation to eight grams from under ‘ Thalikku Thangam’ scheme for women beneficiaries.
She also increased free power to weavers and reduced the working hours of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). Welfare schemes under the Amma brand such as Amma Cement, Amma Drinking Water and Amma Salt would continue.
Power projects would be expedited and in the next five years, new power generation capacity of 13,000 MW of thermal power and 3,000 MW of solar energy would be added to the State grid.
Metro rail
Mr. Rosaiah said the government would take up the implementation of Phase-II of the Chennai Metro Rail at the earliest.
“Before 2017-end, services will be commenced in the entire metro (Phase-I) network,” he said, adding that services between Little Mount to the airport and from Alandur to St. Thomas Mount would be inaugurated soon.
Fishermen issue
On the fishermen issue, he said the government would continue to urge the Centre to prevail upon Sri Lanka to work out a lasting solution to the problem. He reiterated the government's stance that it would continue to strive for retrieval of Katchatheevu.
Similarly, efforts would be made to lift the ban on bull taming sport ‘Jallikattu’ and get the Mullaiperiyar dam water level raised to 152 feet, i.e the Full Reservoir Level. The government would strive to get an order from the Supreme Court to constitute a Cauvery Management Board and a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
“This government will continue to seek accountability of those who perpetrated genocide on innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka during the civil war,” Mr. Rosaiah said.
Unlike the previous occasions, the entire Opposition listened to the Governor’s address with rapt attention.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly M.K. Stalin (DMK), his party colleagues and members of the Congress sat through the 35-minute address.
