Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reiterated that the DMK government would not go back on its electoral promises because of the financial crisis and said that rather than freebies, they should be seen as schemes to improve the livelihood of people.
In an interview to The Hindu on the occasion of his government completing 100 days in office, Mr. Stalin said the DMK had made promises for the welfare of people. “We studied the ways to fulfil the promises before making them. We are firm on fulfilling these promises at the appropriate time,” he said.
Alleging that NEET had benefited students of a particular stream and favoured a student who was ready to spend lakhs to learn from coaching centres, Mr. Stalin said it did not offer a space for poor and government school students.
He said the Legislative Council should be revived.
Explaining the challenges posed by COVID-19, Mr. Stalin said he couldn’t rejoice over the DMK’s Assembly election victory because of the pandemic. “I took it as an opportunity and challenge to fulfil the faith reposed in the DMK by the people that it could save the State from the impact of the second wave.”
Full text of the interview:
‘I was not entirely happy, but refused to be overcome by fatigue or hopelessness’
The DMK came to power after a gap of 10 years and the pandemic caused by COVID-19 posed a challenge when you assumed office as Chief Minister. What was your state of mind then?
The pandemic had started a year before the DMK came to power. Even then, in the initial days, we functioned in a responsible manner like a ruling party would. Under the programme, ‘Ondrinaivom Vaa’ we distributed provisions and vegetables to people. We cooked food and distributed it to lakhs of people; extended financial assistance to auto drivers. The DMK came to power when the second wave of COVID-19 and the number of new infections reached 30,000 per day. Now we have brought the situation completely under control. We have upgraded the infrastructure of the government to face any wave. I thank the people who had voted for the DMK with the hope that the party would protect the people of the state. When officials called on me after the election results indicated a victory and majority for the DMK, I discussed the measures to control the spread with them. To tell the truth, I did not feel any great happiness that the party has captured power and that I had become the Chief Minister. The rapid spread of COVID-19 wiped the smile off my face. But I refused to be overcome by fatigue or hopelessness. I took it as an opportunity and a challenge to fulfill the faith reposed in the DMK government by the people that it could save the state from the impact of the second wave.
Official measures started seconds after assuming office. The Chief Minister, Health Minister, health secretary, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals worked every second. Of course, it was a testing period., but I knew that it could be overcome. We achieved it through our resolute action. It was possible because of the co-operation of doctors, nurses, and front-line workers. They deserve praise.
The second wave created another crisis. Shortage of vaccines, oxygen and beds caused a series of crises...
We fully realised that the AIADMK government had put up only an empty show. They suppressed all the details about COVID-19. Medical equipment were bought for an exorbitant price. Even deaths were suppressed. The AIADMK government fooled itself and the people by believing that everything was right. When we assumed office, your questions remained a challenge to us. The government functioned on a war-footing. A war room was created. We studied the requirements of people and inadequacy in the medical infrastructure and took immediate action. Beds were added and I personally visited new wards. We ensured that every hospital had adequate oxygen facilities. It was not just the Health Minister. The Industries Minister also joined our efforts and speeded up the work. Other departments also extended help. We quickly created infrastructure to get our quota of oxygen from the Union government, oxygen from other areas, manufacture our own oxygen and to supply them to required areas. We strived hard to get vaccines and ensured that they were not wasted. We broke the vaccine hesitancy among the people and ran it like an awareness programme. Though the initial crisis posed a threat, we faced it and worked with the hope that we could protect the people and save Tamil Nadu.
The functioning of your government has created an expectation among people in a short period of time that their problems would be addressed quickly. Can you sustain this?
Definitely. That is why I am here. It is my only duty. I have taken a vow that I will attend to people’s issues immediately and find a solution. I am confident that I can sustain the integrated growth of the state. I have built an administration in which ministers and officials have understood the responsibilities of the government and act accordingly. Some ministers hold portfolios that have direct access to people and people know about their activities immediately. There are ministers and their portfolios have an indirect connection with the development of state and the welfare of people. Those departments also conduct meetings and discussions and perform efficiently. The contribution of the Economic Advisory Council for the Chief Minister and State Development Policy Council is also important. Only these coordinated performances ensure smooth functioning of the administration. Our goal is people’s welfare and we will not deviate from it.
Education institutions continue to remain closed. Though online learning continues, the pandemic has denied students the opportunity to play and interact with their classmates on the campus. Will you open schools and colleges as the infection rate has come down? You can also vaccinate 18-25 age groups easily in colleges, can’t you?
The government is eliciting the opinion of doctors, educationists and parents to get an idea about the situation and based on their opinion the government is keen on opening schools and colleges. When schools and colleges are opened, the government would make arrangements to vaccinate them and offer full protection. The government would also address the psychological problems faced by students because of their staying home for months. There will also be measures, depending on the campus and the environment there, to retain them.
The government has come out with a white paper on the state finances as promised in the DMK’s manifesto. Is there any plan to reduce or stop freebies?
The White Paper is different from the DMK’s manifesto. It explains how the state finances reached a comatose state during the AIADMK rule. It destroyed finances by borrowing, more borrowing and paying interest for borrowing and borrowing to pay interest. The DMK had pointed this out even when it was in the opposition. But the AIADMK denied it. Now we have proved it with evidence. We will not go back on our electoral promises in view of the financial crisis and we have said this in the White Paper. DMK made promises for the welfare of people. We had studied the ways to fulfill the promises before making them. Instead of seeing them as freebies, we consider them as schemes to preserve and boost the livelihood of people. We are firm on fulfilling promises at the appropriate time.
A separate budget for agriculture is to be presented. On the one hand there is a need to increase the agriculture production; on the other, wetlands and water sources are being destroyed. Do you have any special scheme to protect them?
The DMK’s 10-year vision document stresses the need for increasing the cultivable area to 20 lakh hectares. A separate budget is going to be presented only keeping this aspect in mind. The government has renamed the department, realising that agriculture is not land alone, but includes the lives of farmers. There is a separate department for irrigation to preserve the water resources of the state. We have taken into consideration climate change and the environment and created a department. We are evolving schemes to increase the state’s forest cover to 33 % and those schemes will protect wetlands, water resources and natural wealth against looting.
You have been fighting to get exemption from NEET. Don’t you think that there is a need to improve the curriculum of the common school system to simultaneously benefit the students?
Our government will function in the manner of the Kalaignar government that introduced reforms in curriculum to suit the changing circumstances. The lessons and practicals in the curriculum will be designed accordingly. The syllabus of Tamil Nadu will improve the learning abilities of students and will be on a par with other streams of schooling. Do not confuse NEET with educational ability as they are different. NEET benefits students of a particular stream. It favours a student who is ready to spend lakhs to learn at coaching centres. It does not offer space for the poor and government school students. That is why we have said in the budget that a unique education policy would be evolved.
Though the state maintains standards when it comes to professional courses such as medical, agriculture, veterinary, fisheries and engineering, it cannot be said in the case of arts and science courses. Do you have any plan to set the trend right?
Tamil Nadu is the state that created a separate department for higher education. Our leader Kalaignar realised it 15 years ago and created it. He was instrumental in setting up a central university in Tiruvarur. Steps will be taken to launch courses for in-depth research in art and science colleges in tune with the global requirements.
Will the legislative council be revived?
It should be. It is the policy of the DMK and the government that democracy should be lively and there should be scholarly debates.
