Chennai: Tamilnadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan today announced that the fuel prices in the State will be reduced by Rs 3 per litre.
He made the announcement while presenting the first revised budget of the newly formed DMK government for the financial year 2021-2022.
This measure will result in a loss of revenue of Rs 1.160 crore a year, he said and added this will provide a major relief to the toiling working class people in the State.
The Finance Minister said that the overall revenue expenditure is expected to be Rs 2,61,188.57 crore in the revised budget estimates 2021-22.
He said that as soon as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is overcome, deeper reforms will be undertaken to ensure that Tamilnadu’s debt overhang is corrected without any delay.
He also recalled the Rs 4,000 Covid assistance given to 2.1 crore ration card holders and said that at a total cost of Rs 9,370,11 crore, this was the largest Covid-19 relief package undertaken by any State.
Palanivel said that school education has been given highest importance in the budget and has been alloted Rs 32,599.54 crore.
He also said that the government will appoint a high level committee of educationists and experts to formulate a distinct State Education Policy in keeping with the historical legacy, present situation and future aspirations of the State.
“This government will implement the commitment made in the election manifesto of enhancing the period of maternity leave from 9 months to 12 months for women government employees with less than two surviving children with effect from 1 July 2021,” he said.
Palanivel also said that the overall provision for Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare is enhanced to Rs 4,142.33 crore in the revised budget estimates 2021-22.
The Minister said that all the 4,57,645 petitions received under the programme have been acted upon. After due field verification, 2,29,216 grievances have been positively redressed.
“This government will take all necessary steps to revive the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai. The Kalaignar M Karunanidhi Semmozhi Tamil Award, which has not been presented since 2010, will hereafter be awarded on 3 June every year with a prize of Rs 10 lakh. The use of Tamil as the official language will be strengthened in all departments from the Secretariat down to the field level,” he added.
Palanivel said that measures will be taken to ensure that the remaining 14,317 vacancies in the police force against the sanctioned strength of 1,33,198 are filled.