Cheaper, safer homes on state government’s agenda

The suo motu statement covered three departments - Housing and Urban Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi departments. He also elaborated on allocation of lands for eco-friendly houses, assuring houses with basic infrastructure, ensuring sustainable eco-friendly livelihood in urban areas and other key elements of the proposed policy. 

A thinktank of qualified town planning experts would be formed to promote infrastructure and transport. They would also be inducted into planning agencies, he added. Under various schemes of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and funds pooled in from ‘Transferable Development Rights’, 2.07 lakh unit houses, including individual houses and apartments, would be built.   

The state is mulling the option of banning plastic completely, Environment Minister KC Karuppannan informed the House on Wednesday. He was responding to a query raised by DMK MLA T Mano Thangaraj who stated that the use of plastic bags resulted in clogging in sewerage pipes. Karuppanan observed that he had already held a meeting with his senior cabinet colleagues. 

“A decision on banning plastic bags will soon be taken after consultation with EPS,” he said. Ahead of this, DMK MLA IS Inbadurai demanded that former CM K Kamaraj’s legacy be included in the school syllabus and sought the state to celebrate the leader’s birth anniversary by instituting K Kamaraj’s awards for best schools. Responding to the request, the Leader of the House and School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan said that the demands of the legislator would be considered.