The Tamil Nadu Government should take over the Nanguneri Multiproduct Special Economic Zone and extend it further for attracting more industrial investments and providing employment to the locals, the Marukaalkurichi villagers appealed to District Collector K.P. Karthikeyan during the gram sahba meeting held on Wednesday.
Gram sahba meetings were conducted in all 204 village panchayats of Tirunelveli district on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. As Dr. Karthikeyan participated in the gram sabha meeting held at Marukaalkurichi near Nanguneri in the district on Wednesday, the villagers, who are waiting indefinitely since 2001 for the fullfledged functioning of Nanguneri Multiproduct Special Economic Zone, told the Collector that the youth from the Nanguneri taluk were moving towards various metro cities and tier two cities of Tamil Nadu in search of jobs.
While a very few of them land in decent jobs due to their educational qualification and experience, more than 90% of them have to content with menial jobs with trivial salary.
“Even as a sprawling campus on their doorsteps, which is meant for industries, is lying vacant for more than 23 years due to poor policies of the governments, our children are struggling in far-off places for nearly 12 hours to earn a few thousand rupees as their monthly salary. We came to know that the Tamil Nadu Government is taking over 500 acres of the 2,500 acre SEZ campus. So, the Collector should take steps for further expanding this area for attracting as many industries to Nanguneri SEZ to provide jobs to our children here itself,” they appealed.
Assuring the villagers of taking positive and sustained measures to fulfil their demand, Dr. Karthikeyan said the government had started taking “constructive steps” for reaizing their dream.
The Collector explained about the progress of ongoing project for providing drinking water to various villages in Nanguneri Assembly constituency and other infrastructure development schemes and the welfare programmes. He exhorted the villagers to be cautious during the upcoming northeast monsoon.
“The villagers can debate on the proposals being moved in the gram sabha meetings and finalise it to be executed in in their villages. The funds allocated for any project should be spent properly. You can get funds for more projects if you submit proper accounts for these expenses in the gram sabha meetings,” said Dr. Karthikeyan, who handed over the sports kits meant for Marukaalkurichi village panchayat to the president during the meeting.
Kanniyakumari District Collector R. Alagumeena, who participated in the gram sabha meeting held at Shenbhagaramanpudur in Thovaalai panchayat union, explained about the welfare programmes of the State and the Central Governments. She urged the villagers to keep tab on their children to safeguard them from substance abuse.
The Collector also urged the women to get screened periodically in the nearest primary health centre, government hospital or the Government Medical College Hospital at Aasaaripallam to save themselves from a range of ailments and during pregnancy from the third month of gestation.
“The first 1,000 days of pregnancy and post-pregnancy are the most important days in the life of every baby. Hence, the expectant mothers should strictly follow the instructions of the doctors from the third month,” Ms. Alagumeena appealed.
Villagers of Bheemanagari panchayat protested in the gram sabha meeting as the Tamil Nadu Government has decided to merge this rural local body with Nagercoil Corporation.
Thoothukudi Collector K. Elambahavath, MP Kanimozhi and Minister for Social Welfare participated in the gram sahba meeting held at Eppothumvendraan village panchayat under Ottapidaaram panchayat union. Ms. Kanimozhi assured that all left-out women would also get the monthly assistance of ₹1,000 as the Tamil Nadu Government was working on it.
Ms. Geetha informed that detailed project reports on constructing overbridges at Eppothumvendran, Kurukkusaalai, Vembur and Madaththur were being prepared after due survey done by the officials.
The MP handed over ₹16.50 lakh loan to 3 women self-help groups on the occasion.
Tenkasi Collector A.K. Kamal Kishore participated in the Ramanathapuram village panchayat in Vasudevanallur panchayat union.
Published - October 02, 2024 08:03 pm IST
