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Local bodies getting more funds: Stalin

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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

Local bodies getting more funds: Stalin

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday rebutted the Opposition criticism that less funds were being allocated to local bodies in the State.

Wrapping up a debate in the Assembly on the demands for grants to Municipal Administration, Water Supply, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Departments, Mr. Stalin said that the devolution of funds to local bodies was increased to 9.5 per cent of the State’s Own Tax Revenue (SOTR) this year from 9 per cent last year. As a result, the sum provided for the local bodies was Rs.6,928 crore against Rs.6,241 crore last year, an increase of Rs.687 crore.

Pointing out that the government absorbed the expenditure of the local bodies for providing basic services such as primary education and water supply apart from salaries to employees, he said if these were to be included, the share would be 31 per cent of the SOTR.

He was responding to the observations of K. Balabharathy (Communist Party of India-Marxist), S. Gunasekaran (CPI), S. P. Velumani (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and T. Sadhan Thirumalai Kumar (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam).

To encourage best-performing panchayat level federations (PLFs), 1,000 PLFs would be selected this year and Rs.1 lakh each given as incentive.

To enable all women living below the poverty line to join and benefit from the Self Help Group (SHG) movement, it was estimated that one lakh new SHGs should be formed in the State. It had been decided to form 50,000 new SHGs this year and another 50,000 next year.

On the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Mr. Stalin said Chief Minister had written to the Prime Minister, urging that the number of days of job should be increased from 100 to 150. Action was being initiated to enhance the minimum wages from Rs.80 to Rs.100.

This year, 30 more Samuthuvapurams would be established, for which the government had set apart Rs.75 crore.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 06:32
 

Hogenakkal water supply project work to begin in 3-4 months

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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

Hogenakkal water supply project work to begin in 3-4 months

Special Correspondent


Project-related activities on schedule, says Stalin


CHENNAI: Work on the Hogenakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project will begin in three to four months after awarding of contracts, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin told the Assembly on Monday.

Concluding a debate on the demands for grants to Municipal Administration, Water Supply, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj departments, Mr. Stalin said that the Rs. 1,334-crore project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was scheduled for completion by December 2012.

Responding to a query from K. Arumugam (Pattali Makkal Katchi), he asserted that the project-related activities were on schedule.

Just as the Ramanathapuram water supply project was finished in two years against the original timeframe of three years, efforts would be taken to complete the Hogenakkal project early.

Water for Vellore

Referring to the plea of several legislators, including R. Gandhi (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), for a water project to solve the problem of drinking water shortage in Vellore town, Mr. Stalin said that a project, estimated to cost Rs.1,400 crore, had been drawn up with the Cauvery as the source.

To cover six municipalities

The project would cover the Vellore Municipal Corporation, six municipalities, five town panchayats and 64 wayside habitations. A detailed project report had been prepared. Once the funds were firmed up, it would be implemented.

The Rs.59.32-crore Second Vaigai Water Supply Improvement Scheme, meant to benefit Madurai city and taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, would be commissioned shortly.

A plan with an outlay of Rs.2,497 crore had been prepared, of which projects to the tune of Rs.624 crore had been sanctioned.

Announcements

Giving an account of the status of announcements he had made in the last three years, Mr. Stalin said that with regard to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, 64 announcements were made, of which 58 had been fulfilled. Action was being taken to implement the rest.

As for Municipal Administration and Water Supply, 292 announcements were made, of which 184 were implemented and 104 were being fulfilled. The remaining four announcements were cancelled.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 06:28
 

Malaria surveillance in Coimbatore

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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

Malaria surveillance in Coimbatore

K.V. Prasad

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation is carrying out surveillance for malaria after two cases were detected at Ramanathapuram in the city, one at Ganeshapuram and the other at Bharathi Nagar.

Both areas have been found to be vulnerable to diseases caused by a virus or parasite transmitted by mosquitoes – such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya – because of drinking water being stored in open containers. The anopheles mosquito transmits the malaria-causing parasite plasmodium. Though both the victims in the city were said to have picked up the disease in Chennai, the Corporation is not taking any chances. The health wing of the civic body is keeping a vigil in the places where the persons affected by malaria live.

“We’ve collected blood smears from the family members and from 1,000 persons in the areas,” says Assistant City Health Officer R. Sumathi. Official figures of mosquito and larvae density in these areas spell safety.

The house index is 9.7 mosquitoes and the container index is 8.1 (container index refers to mosquitoes found in vessels filled with fresh water).

Figures up to 10 are considered safe. Of the 143 houses surveyed in these areas, 14 were found to be positive with more than 20 mosquitoes in each.

Of the 173 containers checked, 21 had larvae levels beyond the safe limit.

Though the house and container index counts suggest there is no need for alarm, there are indications that these figures do not reflect the actual situation.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 06:26
 


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