Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Karunanidhi allays fears of government engineering colleges

CHENNAI: There will not be any adverse impact on government engineering colleges in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli when new technical universities are established, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Friday.

Even after universities are set up in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli, existing government engineering colleges will continue to function without affecting teachers, technical experts and students, he said, citing the example of the Guindy Engineering College, which did not lose its independent status after the creation of Anna University.

He said the service conditions of teachers and technical experts had been protected and there was no change in the fee structure.

On All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa’s criticism of the hike in milk retail price, Mr. Karunanidhi said the government’s move to hike milk procurement price and retail price, affordable to consumers, came after exhaustive discussions with milk producers. When Ms. Jayalalithaa was in power, the retail price was increased in July 1993 by Re.1 a litre without effecting any rise in the procurement price.

Referring to the government’s action, bringing unorganised labour welfare boards under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department, the Chief Minister said only some of their functions had been brought under the Revenue Department for administrative convenience and in the interest of the workers. This had been done as the Labour Department did not have staff at the levels of village, taluk and district while the Revenue Department had employees who were under the control of the Collectors.

The functions such as admission of members and disbursal of assistance to the members had been entrusted with the Collectors to ensure proper implementation. The transfer of the functions had been done on an experimental basis. After analysing the experience, the government would move further.

The Chief Minister’s office would monitor the working of the boards. A committee, comprising secretaries, had been set up under the chairmanship of the Labour Minister to co-ordinate activities of the unorganised labour welfare boards.

On Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss’ decision to support the candidates of the Democratic Progressive Alliance, Mr. Karunanidhi likened it to a spin bowler’s delivery of the ball in a cricket match. It would appear to be off the stumps but would, eventually, hit the stumps.

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