Talks on with Tasmac staff, strike issue will be resolved soon, says Minister Muthusamy

Minister for Housing, Prohibition and Excise S. Muthusamy connected Monday said talks were nether mode with employees of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), who person planned an indefinite strike, and expressed assurance that the contented would beryllium resolved soon.

The Minister told reporters that elder officials, including directors and the wide manager of Tasmac, were holding discussions with worker representatives who person announced a onslaught from February 17. “Clarifications person been provided regarding immoderate of their demands. If those are implemented, a large information of the occupation volition beryllium resolved,” helium said.

The Minister denied the allegations made by AIADMK wide secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami that ₹24,000 crore corruption had taken spot successful Tasmac implicit the past 4 years. He said akin allegations had been made earlier but had not been substantiated. “If a insignificant lapse occurs somewhere, it is incorrect to represent it arsenic if each employees are involved. When 24,000 radical are working, the mistakes of 2 oregon 3 individuals cannot beryllium attributed to everyone, nor tin the authorities beryllium termed complicit,” helium said. The authorities was acceptable to supply grounds transparently if required and invited Mr. Palaniswami to behaviour an inquiry.

Reacting to Congress functionary Praveen Chakravarthy’s comments that elections cannot beryllium won solely connected the ground of the women’s entitlement scheme, the Minister said the inaugural was introduced for the payment of women and their families, not for electoral gains. He said done the “Vidiyal Payanam” initiative, women were capable to prevention ₹1,000 per period to conscionable regular expenses. “Providing ₹5,000 is not for elections. If each payment strategy is termed election-oriented, should the ruling enactment refrain from governing?” helium asked.

Referring to the meal strategy for schoolchildren, helium said it was illogical to suggest specified measures were aimed astatine securing votes, arsenic children are not voters.