During the debate on the interim budget, senior AIADMK MLA K P Munusamy said the laptop schemes was introduced by the AIADMK supremo the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and 6 lakh laptops have been distributed to students so far.
“It is welcome move. But it cannot be claimed as the DMK scheme, since it was introduced by the Amma (J Jayalalithaa),” he said, referring to the DMK government launching the scheme recently.
Leader of Oppositionr Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the timing of the distribution of free laptops as the government has been giving them in December instead of June at the start of the academic year.
On the 7.5 per cent reservation for students of government schools in admission to professional courses raised by Munusamy, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian claimed it was introduced by the DMK regime for which Palaniswami strongly objected stating, “it is not true” and added that it was during the AIADMK regime 7.5 per cent reservation for students in government schools was introduced.
Palaniswami added that since the introduction of the reservation the number of students pursuing medical education increased in the State and many of them secured admissions in the Madras Medical College and Hospital.
“Without anyone even placing a demand, it was the AIADMK that provided reservations in medical education for government school students,” he said.Munusami attacked the DMK on establishment of medical colleges stating under the AIADMK regime 11 medical colleges were set up where as under the DMK regime not even one medical college was inaugurated.
Responding, Subramanian said it was during the DMK regime that the 11 medical colleges came into operation for which government earmarked Rs 400 crore each and developed adequate infrastructure.
Before concluding his speech, Munusamy said the subsidy given to milk producers in Karnataka was Rs 7 per litre whereas it was Rs 3 per litre in Tamil Nadu. He sought to know whether the government has plans to enhance the subsidy given to milk producers on par with their counterparts in Karnataka.
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development T Mano Thangaraj said, the government will consider the matter.
