Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday asserted that Tamil Nadu has effectively become a drug-free State, claiming that ganja prevalence is now zero and products like pan masala are being strictly curbed.He challenged opposition parties to produce concrete evidence of drug peddling, assuring confidentiality and immediate action, while dubbing allegations of rising drug menace as baseless.
Speaking after inaugurating a fair price shop in Adyar, the Minister also referred to the recent protest by Mid-Level Health Providers (MLHPs), alleging that with Assembly elections nearing, intermediaries are misleading nurses with false assurances of job regularisation.
He clarified that MLHPs were recruited four years ago under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme on 11-month contracts with a salary of ₹18,000, funded jointly by the Centre and State.
Subramanian further highlighted that dengue deaths have significantly reduced compared to previous years, crediting preventive measures and awareness campaigns.
He recalled that dengue fatalities peaked at 66 in 2012 and 65 in 2017 during the earlier regime, while current deaths mostly result from delayed treatment and self-medication, he said.