The Hindu : Priority for Ariyalur region development: Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Priority for Ariyalur region development: Jayalalithaa

By M. Balaganessin

The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, inspecting fossils in Perambalur on Thursday. - Photo: R. M. Rajarathinam

PERAMBALUR MARCH 6. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today said her Government was according priority to the development of the backward Ariyalur region, following its re-unification with Perambalur district.

Addressing a function held here to inaugurate schemes and lay the foundation for projects, she listed the development works sanctioned, including a Rs. 68-lakh stadium at Ariyalur and upgradation of a primary health centre at Meensuritti on an outlay of Rs. 40 lakhs, in fulfilment of the long-felt needs of the area.

(The Chief Minister's remarks came even as a group of residents, under the banner of the Ariyalur District Retrieval Committee, staged a blackflag demonstration there earlier in the day, seeking a separate district with Ariyalur as headquarters).

Ms. Jayalalithaa accused the DMK regime of having "totally ignored Perambalur district without sanctioning any basic facility", for the simple reason that it was during her previous regime Perambalur was carved out of the composite Tiruchi district in 1995. Various demands of Perambalur district were being conceded after she returned to power.

The Chief Minister highlighted the Coleroon combined water supply scheme launched on an outlay of Rs. 17 crores. The first phase had been completed and it would ensure supply of potable water to Perambalur town. The second phase would benefit a population of 1.38 lakhs in villages en route.

In an indirect reference to the recent incidents at Villupuram, Ms. Jayalalithaa said some politicians, who could not tolerate her launching people-oriented schemes, resorted to anti-people activities. "Those who damaged pandals and created scenes at the Collectorate have lost their respect in the eyes of the public; their attempts to please their leader only drew the displeasure of the people", she said.

`Rivalry in evil deeds'

"In the present-day context, sons have been outdoing fathers especially for a bad cause", she regretted. Rajendra Chola dedicated a temple to Shiva at Gangaikondacholapuram in Perambalur district. It was just a replica of his father, Raja Raja Chola's endeavour at Thanjavur. "Rajendra Chola did not want to outclass his father even for a good cause. But, nowadays, sons vie with their fathers in their evil deeds".

The Chief Minister laid the foundation for 842 schemes, costing Rs. 62.53 crores, which included construction of an integrated Collectorate complex on an outaly of Rs. 7.16 crores, and launched new schemes executed on an expenditure of Rs. 100.56 crores. She distributed assistance to weaker sections and loans to self-help groups. In all, 19,845 beneficiaries got assistance to the tune of Rs. 12.58 crores.

The Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, presided. The Deputy Speaker, A. Arunachalam; the Ministers, B. Valarmathi and K. K. Balasubramaniam, and the Collector, Rajesh Lakhoni spoke.

Arrival in Tiruchi

Our Tiruchi Staff Reporter reports:

Ms. Jayalalithaa returned to Tiruchi late in the afternoon after attending the function.

Earlier, she arrived in Tiruchi on a five-day visit to this and neighbouring districts. Ms. Jayalalithaa would camp in Tiruchi till March 10. She is scheduled to visit Dindigul, Karur, Tiruvarur and Dharmapuri. Her visit would conclude with a function on the Kallukuzhi Railway grounds in Tiruchi, where development projects would be inaugurated on March 10.

A tight security blanket has been thrown round the city, especially around the hotel on the Collector's Office Road where she is staying.

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