AIADMK ignored govt employees, says Stalin

Chennai: Chief minister M K Stalin made a strong pitch to woo govt employees on Sunday, stating that the DMK govt had consistently worked for their welfare despite the funds crunch caused by ‘denial of funds' by the Union govt. At a felicitation function organised by Jacto–Geo for announcing Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS), Stalin said while AIADMK ‘ignored' the demand of govt employees on restoring old pension scheme and the BJP-led Union govt ‘deliberately denied' funds to TN, it was DMK which was fulfilling the demands of govt employees.
"Low income and high expenditure — that is our present situation. This financial crisis is being created deliberately and in a planned manner. We are successfully countering them politically and administratively, while fulfilling the demands of govt employees at the same time,'' Stalin said. Hitting out at the AIADMK, Stalin said the govt employees were raising the demand for old pension scheme for the past 22 years. "The scheme was taken away when AIADMK was in power. The merciless AIADMK regime brought tears of blood to those who were toiling in sweat," Stalin said. But the DMK govt embraced everyone with compassion, he said. Hence, inspite of the funds crunch, TAPS was announced by DMK govt. "So, please do not widen our bond by saying thank you," he told the govt employees. Stalin said the cabinet and govt employees are two sides of the same coin. "The Dravidian model govt is for the govt employees. That is the path laid by Kalaignar (late CM M Karunanidhi),'' he said. Listing out the welfare measures taken by the DMK for govt employees, Stalin said introduction of a govt employees' family security fund, compassionate appointment for the legal heir of govt employees who die in service, provision of marriage loans, vehicle and housing loans, medical insurance scheme and enhancement of the age limit for entry into govt service were done by DMK. Lauding govt teachers, Stalin said it was because of them that TN stood as the second-best state in India in school education. Stalin said implementing TAPS would require the Tamil Nadu govt to provide an additional 13,000 crore to the pension fund and around 11,000 crore annually as contribution, with the financial commitment expected to increase in future years.