Improving infrastructure, promoting industrial growth, creating job opportunities and transforming Madurai into a medical hub - these will be my focus areas, says sitting MP and Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Su. Venkatesan.
The CPI(M), a constituent of the DMK-led alliance, has re-nominated Mr. Venkatesan to contest in the General Elections from Madurai Constituency.
Mr. Venkatesan, a well-known writer, won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Madurai constituency by a margin of 1.39 lakh votes. This time he says he is confident of winning the polls by a margin of 60% to 65%.
“We have taken up all the issues that were mentioned in the election manifesto released by us during the previous polls. We have succeeded in achieving most of them and we assure that the rest will also be fulfilled,” he says.
“ELCOT and SIPCOT projects in Madurai are taking shape. Once they are ready, they will provide employment to over 10,000 people”Su. Venkatesan, CPI(M) MP
ELCOT and SIPCOT projects in Madurai are taking shape. Once they are ready, they will provide employment to over 10,000 people. Steps are also being taken to shift the Central Prison in Madurai from New Jail Road to an alternative location. The aim is to use the existing land for purposeful development as the 32-acre parcel of land lies in the heart of the city, .
With the establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Madurai, the city will emerge as a major medical hub, he says.
“We had pressed for the establishment of NIPER in Madurai as there were no Central Educational Institutes in the district. Over 100 acres of land has been handed over for the project. Had it started operations, it would have been the largest campus of its kind in the country. The Central government has assured us that the work will start once the other NIPER projects are completed,” he says.
Land acquisition for expansion of Madurai airport has been completed and compensation to the land owners has also been paid. Steps will be taken to start round-the-clock operations of flights. Since the detailed project report for Metro project for Madurai is ready, the work will start anytime.
Though there are issues in implementation of Central government schemes, steps were being taken to resolve them. “In Jal Jeevan Scheme, we have received complaints that only pipelines were laid and water was not supplied. We have also received complaints with regard to implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. We have given welfare assistnce worth over ₹10 crore to the differently abled people - it is among the highest in the country. Similarly, education loans provided to students in Madurai district is the second highest in the country after Mumbai,” Mr. Venkatesan says.
He takes pride in establishing a study centre near Corporation swimming pool in Madurai as it immensely benefits those preparing for competitive examinations, including civil services. “Since it is well-lit, airy and provides many facilities such as refreshments, boys and girls who used to study under trees in parks have moved to the study centre. I have also contributed books to the libraries in schools and colleges under the MPLADS fund,” he says.
This tech-savvy politician uses social media to the hilt to reach out to the needy. When asked about irregularities he had flagged in implementation of Smart Cities Mission projects, he says they started by the time they came to power. “Periyar Bus Stand work started without a proper plan approval. After we came to power, we got the approval. We are setting things right,” he says.
When asked if he still writes, his first passion, Mr. Venkatesan says addressing the issues of the marginalised and the needy is his primary focus now and redressing their grievances gave him so much satisfaction. He wants to conduct an event in the city on the lines of Maa Madurai Potruvom to celebrate the rich culture of Madurai.
