The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Velu highlights development schemes

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Friday, Apr 17, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Velu highlights development schemes

Staff Reporter

DMK block-level cadres’ meeting held in Tiruvannamalai

Rs.16 crore has been sanctioned to construct combined court complex in Tiruvannamalai
Underground drainage scheme a boon for town

— Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

SEEKING SUPPORT: Food Minister E.V. Velu introducing Tiruvannamalai DMK candidate D. Venugopal (left), at a meeting in Tiruvannamalai on Thursday.

Tiruvannamalai: Voters should defeat Pattali Makkal Katchi candidate J.Guru if they want to keep a check on violence in Tiruvannamalai, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam district secretary and Food Minister E.V.Velu said here on Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting of block-level cadres, he said that the DMK took all steps to prevent the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) from taking over Tiruvannamalai temple when the ASI mooted the idea. Though DMK president and Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi was an atheist, this showed the respect he has got for people’s sentiments.

Mr. Velu also enlisted all developmental projects executed by the DMK government in the district. “By creating a new division of TamilNadu State Transport Corporation centered at Tiruvannamalai, at least 1,100 local drivers were given jobs in the Corporation. A sum of Rs.16 crore has been sanctioned to construct combined court complex in Tiruvannamalai. Underground drainage scheme is a boon for the town. Inconveniences caused by the drainage scheme were temporary and inevitable while executing schemes of this nature and magnitude,” Mr. Velu said.

“Vanniyars had been seeking reservation for a long time. When the DMK came to power in 1989, Mr. Karunanidhi announced 20 per cent reservation for Most Backward Communities, including Vanniyars. The DMK government also gave a solatium of Rs.3 lakh each to 21 families whose kin died in police firing during Vanniyar’s struggle for reservation. Mr. Karunanidhi also announced Rs.1,500-monthly pension to all the 21 families,” Mr. Velu said.

Candidate T.Venugopal, DMK MLAs K. Pichandi, Sivanandham, Congress district secretary and MLA P.S.Vijayakumar, VCK district secretary Mohan, Tiruvannamalai municipal chairman R.Sridharan were present.

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