TN CM Palaniswami meets Modi, seeks Central help for various schemes

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Centre should reconsider its decision to introduce NEET examination in Tamil Nadu and exempt the state from it in the interest of students.

Talking to newspersons after his meeting with Modi, he said exemption should be given from NEET to both government and private medical colleges and government-quota seats in Tamil Nadu.

He also stressed on the need for immediate central intervention in the appointment of a Cauvery River Management Authority and setting up of a Regulatory Committee as part of implementing the Cauvery Water Tribunal decisions.

Palaniswami also urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the finance ministry issue instructions to the insurance companies for quick disbursal of crop loss insurance for farmers affected by the severe drought that has hit the state this year.

The Chief Minister said he has handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister containing various demands of the state for Central help in implementing development schemes.

These included immediate central approval for setting up of an AIIMS hospital in Tamil Nadu, clearance for the Rs. 14,500 crore scheme for restoration of the Cauvery bed for which the state government has sent a scheme. This should be implemented as a national scheme, he said.

The Chief Minister said he urged the Prime Minister to instruct the Kerala government not to go ahead with its plans for the construction of check dams across the Bhavani river. He also wanted the Centre to advise the Kerala government to accept the Tamil Nadu scheme for diversion of surplus waters from Pamba, Achankoil and Vaippar rivers to prevent them from going into the sea which will be beneficial to both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He said Kerala should be asked to prepare a scheme for producing hydro power from these waters.

Palaniswami said the Centre should give a subsidy of Rs.500 crore for a rainwater conservation scheme to be taken up as a people's movement. The scheme involves desilting of rivers and lakes and rain water harvesting programme introduced by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

He said the Centre has allocated Rs. 86 crore for fishermen development for which Tamil Nadu government has set apart Rs. 200 crore.