NAMAKKAL: The first-time MP elected to the Lok Sabha from Namakkal, A K P Chinnaraj, of the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK), who contested on DMK symbol in the recent general elections, has donated Rs two lakh from his salary as MP, for aiding people's welfare activities in his constituency.
Mr Chinnaraj was here at a meeting of the KMDK office-bearers here on Saturday when the Kongu outfit, with its state president R Devarajan presiding.
Mr. Chinnaraj surprised one and all by setting a new norm of deciding to donate his salary for the next five years he will be MP of Namakkal for people's welfare.
This would be besides the funds available for small development assistance available from the MPs' Local Area Development Fund. Out of the Rs.2 lakh donated from his salary in this first initiative, Chinnaraj set apart a portion of it for health assistance to the needy in his constituency. He will be giving Rs 50,000 for paying the medical bills of one Shankar of Rasipuram, out of this Rs two lakh.
Mr. Chinnaraj has handed over the Rs. two lakh to the 'Kongunaadu Development Trust' set up for the purpose, similar to the Left party MPs' donating a major portion of their respective salaries to the Communist party. Mr. Chinnaraj said he was fulfilling one of the poll promises he had made to the people during election.
The KMDK is in the process of setting up a 60-member broad-based committee, to cover all the six Assembly segments, as part of its reach-out activities to the voters. They would periodically meet and interact with the people of Namakkal constituency to help make a list of projects and assistance that could be sourced from the MPLAD fund scheme and about projects Mr. Chinnaraj could flag in Parliament. The objective is the overall development of Namakkal constituency.
The KMDK, while welcoming the hike in procurement price of milk for dairy farmers, however, said that the extra burden should not be passed on to consumers.
The additional price should be an 'incentive' the government gave to the milk producers in the villages, general secretary of the party, Mr. Easwaran said.
