Over Rs 41,000 crore projects on in 18 months: Edappadi K Palaniswami

 SALEM: A staggering order of over Rs 41,000 crore worth development projects are being implemented in Tamil Nadu in the last one-and-a-half years under the AIADMK regime, asserted Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami here on Thursday. 

Participating in different functions to launch various schemes in Salem district,  Mr. Palaniswami on the sidelines told reporters, “ after AIADMK assumed power, 41,887 completed projects worth Rs 22,640.29 crore have been thrown open for public use. Besides, foundation stones were laid for 7,597 development works worth Rs 19,101.84 crore. Totally, Rs 41,742.13 crore worth development works are being implemented across the state.”

 On measures taken for filling lakes with surplus water from Cauvery river, he said, “to save the surplus water from Mettur dam, alternative ways were found by filling 96 lakes in the areas including Mecheri, Nangavalli, Tharamangalam, Konganapuram, Edappadi, Magudanchavadi and Sankagiri in Mettur constituency limit. The detail project report is being prepared and it would be implemented soon.”

 Mr. Palaniswami said, “construction of check dams with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore would be implemented within next three years. In a first phase, Rs 292 crore would be allocated for constructing 62 check dams current year.”

Declining to comment on DMK’s internal party matters, Mr. Palaniswami said no political party could break the AIADMK, adding, his government will not fall. 

The Chief Minister also inaugurated new primary health centre at Koneripatti near Edappadi and also launched new drinking water schemes for Edappadi, Konganapuram and Magudanchavadi. He also laid the foundation stone for 48 new development works with an outlay of 

Rs 30.83 crore. Mr. Palaniswami also distributed welfare schemes to the tune of Rs 1.20 crore to 229 beneficiaries. 

Laying the foundation stone for the extended Edappadi- Konganapuram- Magudanchavadi comprehensive drinking water scheme, the CM said that food production is likely to go up as all dams have brimmed in the state. He said that the state government has taken efforts to enhance water supply by taking financial assistance from foreign agencies and through state and central government projects. Per capita water supply has gone up from 93 litres in 2011 to 113 litres in 2017-18.   In Edappadi alone Rs 257.21 crore worth water schemes have been implemented so far, he added.