Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday announced a series of measures in the state Assembly, including government vehicles for all MLAs to facilitate regular travel to their constituencies and support their work for residents.
Speaking in the assembly, Vijay said elected representatives need to frequently visit their constituencies to address people’s concerns and oversee local issues. Under the new arrangement, all MLAs will be provided government vehicles for constituency-related travel.
The government will also provide a monthly allowance of Rs 75,000 towards drivers’ salaries and vehicle-related expenses. In addition, each MLA’s office will receive Rs 25,000 per month to hire an assistant for office-related work.
Health insurance cover hiked 5X
In a major healthcare announcement, the annual coverage under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme will be increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. The enhanced coverage is aimed at providing beneficiaries with greater financial support for medical treatment.
The government also announced additional medical and surgical services for transgender persons under the scheme at government hospitals in Chennai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Chengalpattu, Thiruvarur, Karur and Kanyakumari.
Rs 351 crore for medical education
The government has allocated Rs 351 crore to expand admission capacity in government medical and healthcare institutions. The initiative will create 6,098 additional seats across various healthcare-related courses.
These include 660 B.Sc. Nursing seats, 1,925 additional seats in nursing colleges and schools, 2,778 seats across 12 paramedical courses and 735 additional seats in medical courses. Seven new government nursing colleges will also be established.
A 400-bed multi-speciality hospital will additionally be set up in Perambalur at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore. The hospital is expected to provide advanced medical treatment and strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the region.
Milk procurement price hiked
The government has also announced an increase in the milk procurement price from Rs 38 to Rs 41 per litre. The move is expected to benefit more than 3.16 lakh milk producers.
Along with the procurement price hike, the government incentive for milk producers will be increased from Rs 3 to Rs 5 per litre. The higher procurement price is expected to increase the government’s expenditure by Rs 30 crore per month and Rs 360 crore annually.
