Chennai, February 18 The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed a heated argument on Wednesday between members of the DMK and AIADMK over the distribution of free laptops to students and the 7.5 per cent reservation for government school students for admission to professional courses.
During the debate on the interim budget, senior AIADMK MLA K P Munusamy stated that the laptop scheme was introduced by the AIADMK supremo, the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, and that 6 lakh laptops have been distributed to students so far.
"This is a welcome move. But it cannot be claimed as the DMK scheme, as it was introduced by Amma (J Jayalalithaa)," he said, referring to the DMK government launching the scheme recently.
Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the timing of the distribution of free laptops, as the government has been providing 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 that it was introduced by the DMK regime, for which Palaniswami strongly objected, stating, "This is not true," and added that it was during the AIADMK regime that 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 has increased in the State, and many of them have secured admissions in the Madras Medical College and Hospital.
"Without anyone even making a demand, it was the AIADMK that provided reservations in medical education for government school students," he said.
Munusami attacked the DMK on the establishment of medical colleges, stating that under the AIADMK regime, 11 medical colleges were set up, while under the DMK regime, not even one medical college was inaugurated.
Responding, Subramanian said that it was during the DMK regime that the 11 medical colleges came into operation, for which the government had earmarked Rs 400 crore each and developed adequate infrastructure.
Before concluding his speech, Munusamy said that 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 in line with those in Karnataka.
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development T Mano Thangaraj said, the government will consider the matter.
