Announcing her plans to provide all the basic facilities to the village panchayats in Thoothukudi district, MP K. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said that she would adopt the south Illanthaikulam panchayat under Kayathar Panchayat Union limits here on Sunday.
Participating in a gram sabha meeting at Aathikulam in the district, she said that the village panchayat president Selvi was instrumental in her adoption plan. Ms Kanimozhi said that when there were reports that a majority of men dominated in wards/panchayats where women were elected, Ms Selvi was determined to do all the work on her own.
“I have no doubt that Ms Selvi would bring laurels... Hence, I decided to support her and the village panchayat for the next one year,” she said.
The MP, who sat through the special meeting, along with Minister P. Geetha Jeevan, Collector K Senthil Raj and other officers, said that the demands from the villagers, including bus facility, laying or repairing roads, cleaning up sewage, removing thorny bushes in waterbodies, would be taken forward and implemented with the Collector’s initiative.
The Minister announced that she would give ₹ 77 lakh from her MLA fund for laying road, while Ms. Kanimozhi said that she would give funds from the MP scheme for installing a 60,000 litre drinking water tank.
Similarly, the villagers pointed out the need for appointment of a nurse at the PHC in the panchayat, which was agreed upon. The MP said that she would take up with the police and other authorities to ensure that heavy vehicles were not permitted to use the panchayat road and promised to explore the possibility for bringing up an anganwadi.
