'Namma School' is AIADMK's brainchild: EPS

CHENNAI: Opposition leader and AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday claimed that 'Namma School' scheme was launched in AIADMK period.

Palaniswami also claimed that the 'Namma School', scheme which was launched recently by the chief minister, already existed during the previous AIADMK regime in the name of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) method.

"After discussing with the industrialists, K A Sengottaiyan the then School Education Minister on May 23, 2017, had launched the scheme", he added, "accordingly, in 2019 till June first week, the government had received Rs 82 crore through CSR from various companies".

Palaniswami also claimed that as a chief minister, he had launched an online fundraising scheme -- https://contribute.tnschools.gov.in -- on November 5, 2019, in a simple way.

"The money, which was received online, will be deposited in a separate bank account", he said adding "the money received, will be made transparent in the public domain".

Palaniswami said however, the DMK government had launched the 'Namma School' scheme in a grand manner and spent Rs three crore for the inaugural function.