Tamil Nadu assembly to debate food ,cooperation department grants
Chennai, August 20
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will on Thursday debate demands for grants for the Food and Consumer Protection and Cooperation departments, with discussions expected to focus on essential commodities, public distribution and agricultural credit.
The House is scheduled to meet at 9.30 a.m. Members of the ruling party and the Opposition will review the performance of the two departments and raise constituency-level concerns.
Food and Consumer Protection Minister Venkataramanan and Cooperation Minister Gandhiraj will respond to the debate. They are also expected to announce new schemes and policy measures relating to their respective departments.
Legislators are likely to discuss the functioning of fair-price shops, the availability and quality of ration commodities, consumer grievance redressal systems and measures to contain the prices of essential goods.
Issues involving cooperative banks, primary agricultural credit societies, crop loans, financial assistance to farmers and the functioning of cooperative institutions are also expected to figure prominently.
The debate assumes significance after the government announced a major relief package for cooperative borrowers. It provides a full waiver for eligible loans of up to Rs 75,000 and additional concessions for borrowings between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
The ongoing Assembly session has already debated grants for Health and Family Welfare, Revenue and Disaster Management, Water Resources, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and Tourism and Culture.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay intervened in an exchange between DMK legislator I. Periyasamy and Rural Development Minister N. Anand. The government assured the House that development funds would be allocated fairly, without political discrimination.
Since taking office in May, the Vijay government has announced several welfare measures, including the expansion of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme and an increase in annual health insurance coverage from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.
Opposition legislators are expected to question the government about its finances and the implementation of its promises during Thursday’s debate.
