Radhakrishnan seeks cooperation from TN for NH project

Expressing the Centre's willingness to convert the East Coast Road from Chennai to Kanyakumari as a National Highway, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan today sought the cooperation of the state government for the project.
Addressing a meeting, organised in connection with the Narendra Modi government's two-year anniversary celebrations here, he said the Centre was ready with Rs 10,000 crore for the project.
"Unfortunately the Tamil Nadu government is not giving its approval for the project," he said.
He also said the Centre was willing to set up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Tamil Nadu, but if it should come up in Madurai, the state government should provide land.

The Centre planned to convert 70 km stretch from Karaikudi-Pattukottai-Thanjavur section and 109-km stretch Srivilliputhur-Sivakasi-Tiruchuli-Parthibanur as NH.
Work on Madurai-Dhanushkodi stretch was going on, he said.

The National Highways Authority was implementing road projects to the tune of Rs 10,138 crore in the state and had allocated Rs 30,000 crore for road development works.
The Centre would also focus on ferry service to Puducherry and its cost was low and it would also reduce pollution. It would cost only 30 paise per person per km for the ferry service, while train and road services would cost several times more.
He reiterated that Colachel port in Tamil Nadu would be one among the big new ports to be created in India at a cost of Rs 21,000 crore.

Under Setu Bharatham Project, 1,500 bridges would taken up for repair and reconstruction at a cost of Rs 30,000 crore.
A 7,000 km stretch of border roads covering the entire country would be taken up.
He urged his party men to enroll more people under various insurance schemes and other schemes so that government would get encouraged to announce more schemes for the benefit of the poor.
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Radhakrishnan expressed confidence over "Jallikattu" (taming the bull) being organised in the state as it was a sport symbolising Tamils' bravery.
At the meeting, HRD Minister Smriti Irani said success of "Jan Dhan Yojana" proved that people had trust in the NDA government, and were willing to deposit their hard earned money with the banks.

The previous government had ignored requests of downtrodden people like those belonging to Narikurava Community, to add them in the scheduled tribe list, she alleged and referred to a Narikurava Woman Selvarani's speech thanking the NDA government for including them in the list.
The government was also committed to providing one crore homes for people in the rural areas, she said, adding, insurance premium for farmers has been brought down to two per cent from 25 per cent.