The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister Vijay, has in the last few days announced a series of major measures under Rule 110, covering milk procurement prices, medical education, healthcare infrastructure, and insurance coverage.
Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly allows the Chief Minister or a minister to make a formal statement or announce major government policies and schemes on matters of public importance without permitting an immediate floor debate or questions from the opposition.
On Wednesday, Vijay announced a series of welfare measures, including extending 365 days of maternity leave for women state government employees for a third child and enhanced benefits for MLAs. He made announcements via Rule 110 earlier this week, too.
Bonanza for MLAs
Vijay on Wednesday announced official vehicles and a monthly allowance of ₹one lakh each to address public grievances in their respective constituencies.
To support administrative tasks and vehicle maintenance, the government will provide an allowance of ₹75,000 per month, including fuel and driver costs, and ₹25,000 per month to hire a personal assistant to help manage constituency work, the CM said.
So each of the 234 MLAs of Tamil Nadu will get ₹1 lakh each month. This amounts to ₹28.08 Crore expenses on the state exchequer.
So, how it helps common man? The idea behind the allowance is that the MLAs take better care of their voters in their constituencies so that the government services reach the beneficiaries.
“These measures are aimed at reducing the economic burden on the MLAs, improving transparency, and ensuring that government services reach the grassroots level without corruption. Appropriate amendments will be made to formalise these directives,” Vijay said amidst loud thumping of tables in the House.
365 days of maternity
Women working in the state government will now be entitled to 365 days of maternity leave for a third child, bringing it in line with the leave available for the first two children.
The announcement was criticised by TVK rivals. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said that Tamil Nadu was the first state to follow family planning and encouraged couples to have not more than two children.
“It is better to have only two children in a family, which will help the family and enable the parents to bring up their children,” the DMK leaders said.
The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister Vijay, has in the last few days announced a series of major measures under Rule 110, covering milk procurement prices, medical education, healthcare infrastructure, and insurance coverage.
Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly allows the Chief Minister or a minister to make a formal statement or announce major government policies and schemes on matters of public importance without permitting an immediate floor debate or questions from the opposition.
On Wednesday, Vijay announced a series of welfare measures, including extending 365 days of maternity leave for women state government employees for a third child and enhanced benefits for MLAs.
3.16 lakh milk producers
Vijay also announced an increase in the milk procurement price from ₹38 to ₹41 per litre. The announcement states that, as a result of the increase, the government will incur an additional expenditure of ₹30 crore per month and ₹360 crore per year.
Despite the state facing financial constraints, considering the well-being and livelihood of the milk producers, and in an effort to provide a fair remunerative price for their work, the state government has decided to enhance the milk procurement price, Vijay said.
The milk procured through the primary milk cooperative societies of state-owned Aavin would be increased from ₹38 to ₹41, and it will include a government incentive of ₹3 per litre. The move will benefit over 3.16 lakh milk producers, the chief minister said.
The gesture will entail the state government an additional expenditure of ₹30 crore per month, Vijay said, flaying the previous DMK regime for not making any effort to hike the procurement price.
The price hike is not steep, yet it is expected to improve the supply chains.
365 days of maternity
Women working in the state government will now be entitled to 365 days of maternity leave for a third child, bringing it in line with the leave available for the first two children.
The announcement was criticised by TVK rivals. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said that Tamil Nadu was the first state to follow family planning and encouraged couples to have not more than two children.
“It is better to have only two children in a family, which will help the family and enable the parents to bring up their children,” the DMK leaders said.
Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram asserted that the Tamil Nadu government should not be encouraging a third child in families while also suggesting that maternal support is crucial, paternal leave policies require equal legislative attention.
400-bed multi-specialtyhospital
In the healthcare and medical education sector, the Vijay government has announced ₹351 crore for increasing student admission capacity in government medical colleges.
A total of 6,098 additional seats will be created for the development of healthcare professionals, including 660 B.Sc. Nursing seats, 1,925 additional seats in nursing colleges and schools, 2,778 seats across 12 paramedical courses, and 735 additional seats in medical courses.
In Perambalur, a 400-bed world-class multi-speciality hospital will be established at an estimated cost of ₹300 crore. The facility is intended to provide advanced medical treatment and healthcare services.
Insurance from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh
Another major announcement concerns the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
The annual limit for medical treatment is proposed to be increased from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh, according to the announcement.
Taken together, the announcements focus on improving the livelihoods of milk producers, expanding medical and nursing education, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, increasing access to insurance-funded treatment and expanding specialised healthcare services across Tamil Nadu.
Cooperative farm loans waiver
On Monday, Vijay announced a full waiver of cooperative farm loans up to ₹75,000. Also, he announced a waiver up to ₹75,000 for loans ranging up to ₹one lakh. The waiver beyond ₹one lakh will be ₹35,000.
The latest waiver will entail an additional expenditure of ₹953 crore to the exchequer, CM Vijay said.
Making an announcement under Rule 110 in the Assembly, Vijay said the government previously waived agricultural loans up to ₹50,000 within 15 days of taking office in May. This was later expanded to provide full waivers for loans up to ₹75,000, and a ₹35,000 waiver for loans exceeding ₹75,000, benefiting over 14.44 lakh farmers.
“This initiative will provide additional support to over 1.38 lakh farmers, representing an additional financial commitment of approximately ₹953.06 crore by the government, with a total waiver amount reaching ₹6,220 crore for 13.34 lakh farmers,” the CM said.
More about rule 110
Rule 110 has traditionally been used by the Tamil Nadu governments to make major policy announcements, launch schemes, announce financial assistance or declare important government decisions directly on the floor of the Assembly.
The provision, which was used in the past for statements on matters of public importance in emerging situations, has eventually become a regular practice used by successive Tamil Nadu governments – the AIADMK, the DMK, and now the TVK, led by Chief Minister Vijay.
The announcements should ideally be included in the respective ministries’ Budget proposals, with the ministers making them, not the chief minister.
Basically, Tamil Nadu Assembly Rule 110 allows the government to make important public policy announcements on the floor of the House without automatically triggering a debate.
How has it been used in the past?
Former chief minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa introduced the rule but did not make much use of it during her first two terms in 1991-96 and 2001-06. However, during her third term from 2011 to 2016, she made 187 announcements in the assembly under Rule 110, involving an expenditure of ₹172,196 crore, according to a report in Times of India.
But when in power, the DMK has defended its own targeted use of the rule to implement specific welfare measures or fulfil unfulfilled announcements.
In the last DMK government (2021-26), Chief Minister MK Stalin utilised Rule 110 for targeted initiatives. Stalin insisted that the DMK’s utilisation is measured and focused on actual execution rather than empty publicity.
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