P.Wilson dmk mp speech/Neet/
Wilson dmk mp / Thank you, Hon’ble Chairman Sir.
I thank the Hon’ble president for delivering presidential address prepared by the NDA Government.
I take this opportunity to argue for the rights of my Nation and my State.
I. Firstly, I would like to start with NEET.
Considering the fact that the NEET based selection process is against the students from poor and underprivileged backgrounds, Tamil Nadu has always opted for the MBBS selection process through the +2 marks, rather than a separate entrance exam. Such NEET based selection also imposes immense psychological stress on MBBS aspirants and financial burden on their families. To do away from the NEET Menace, The ‘Tamil Nadu Admission to Under Graduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021’ was passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Legislative Assembly on 13.09.2021 and was forwarded by Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and is pending for assent. This has caused immense anxiety and stress in the minds of our students and parents.
Recently, the nation has witnessed large scale confusions. Starting with Question paper leaks and irregular handling of awarding grace for wrong key answer and compensatory marks, almost 23.33 lakh candidates are today affected by the 2024 UG NEET exam. This has also led to filing of many cases in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and ordering of CBI enquiry. Therefore, considering all the above, the policy stand point of the Government of Tamil Nadu now and it has always been to abolish NEET completely.
Further, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has moved a resolution seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu from the NEET Examination or to scrap completely the NEET for admissions to medical courses.
Therefore, we seek the Union Government’s immediate attention in this regard either to approve the Bill passed by the State Government in this matter or to bring out such amendments in the National Medical Commission Act, so that the NEET system is given up at the national level.
Rather than being a test of merit, NEET has become a world of scams and corruption as exam papers can be purchased from residences just a phone call away and even through Amazon, and results can be easily tampered with. You can even have ghost writers in few Centers to get full marks of 720/720.
When NEET was introduced in 2010 through regulations, Dr Kalaignar Karunanidhi, the then CM of TN, asked me to file a Writ Petition and to get a Stay. I appeared, and the Madras High Court granted the Stay of implementation of NEET regulations. Always Tamilnadu raises its voice first whenever it sees injustice or inequality.
Our youth wing Secretary and Hon’ble Sports Minister, Mr Udhayanidhi Stalin, undertook a campaign against NEET, and as many as 80 lakh persons signed seeking to BAN NEET.
I ask the Union Government why there is a delay in taking steps to place before the president for a grant of assent in the NEET Exemption Bill sent by the TN Govt.
The CBI investigation was too late and only ordered when a few students went to court. There has been an extraordinary delay of 48 days in ordering a CBI investigation, and this delay has helped the fraudsters to tamper with documents and erase the evidence.
Another interesting factor is Parliament passed the”The Public examination(prevention of unfair means ) Bill 2024” on 9.2.2024. The President gave her assent on 12.2.2024. However it is shocking to note that the Act was notified only on 21.6.2024 after the scam of paper leak has happened. The Object of the Public Examination Act 2024 is to bring Stringent provisions to curb the malpractices as there was no substantive law to deal with unfair means or offences committed, such as paper leakage. Both State and Central Government have powers to order investigation.
My question is why this Act was notified belatedly in June 2024 when Act was passed and assent given on 12.2.2024 ?
NTA officials will now clearly escape from the clutches of this Public Examination Act.
Intrestingly NTA (National Testing Agency) which is responsible for conducting more than 14 critical competitive exams, including NEET, is registered under the Societies Registration Act like any other flat owners housing societies. Crores of funds are given to this unaccountable body.
From 2014 to 2024, the government passed as many as 427 bills in the Lok Sabha and 365 bills in the Rajya Sabha. However, the Union government was not interested in introducing legislation to provide statutory backing for NTA. This lack of legislation may allow NTA to avoid accountability and face no consequences for corruption or illegal activities. There is no answer why such important exams were given to an incompetent body and made unaccountable for this.
II. Next is the State issues.
-(a) The Chennai Metro Rail Limited Project
Phase-I of CMRL was approved as a 50:50 Joint Venture between Union Government and Government of Tamil Nadu. On similar lines, Phase-II of Chennai Metro has been proposed at a cost of Rs.63,246 Crores and covering 119 Kms. Although, the Phase-II project’s Foundation Stone was laid by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister on 21.11.2020 and the announcement for counterpart funding was made in the Union Budget for 2021-22, there has been no progress. Though the project was recommended by the Public Investment Board (PIB) on 17.8.2021, it is still awaiting the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Many other city metro proposals which were subsequently recommended by Public Investment Board have since been approved by the Union Government. Considering the pressing needs of the Chennai Metropolitan Area, the Government of Tamil Nadu has commenced the works for Phase-II, in anticipation of approval by the Union Government and the expenditure is being currently met from the State Funds. While such funding of project expenditure has ensured that the works are on track, the State’s fiscal situation has been adversely impacted by it. This situation needs to be set right without any further delay.
We urge the Hon’ble Prime Minister to give cabinet clearance and allocate 50% of the cost, i.e. Rs 31,623 crores.
(B) NDRF claims
Tamil Nadu faced two unprecedented natural disasters in the month of December 2023. Cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ brought extremely very heavy rainfall and also the southern districts of the State viz. Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts received unprecedented, extremely heavy rainfall in December 2023. As a result, the infrastructure both public and private and livelihoods of the people have been devastated. After The IMCT officials voted and assessed the damages the State Government made a claim of Rs 37,907.21 crores. However, the Union Government has sanctioned only a meagre compensation of Rs.276 crores from the NDRF on 26.4.2024. Given the magnitude of the natural disasters and the colossal damage caused to the infrastructure and livelihoods, this compensation is grossly inadequate and is a grave injustice to the State of Tamil Nadu.
Hence, it is requested that at least Rs.3,000 Crores may be immediately sanctioned under NDRF to take up the restoration and relief works and to defray the expenditure already incurred by the State.
WE NEED A CASTE BASED CENSUS
There is no contemporary data available after 1931
NEW RAILWAY PROJECTS IN TAMIL NADU – SANCTION REQUESTED :-
The following Railway Projects are very important for the economic development of Tamil Nadu which may kindly be sanctioned and given high priority: –
- 4th line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu. 2. Tiruppathur – Krishnagiri – Hosur New line. 3. Madurai – Thoothukudi – via – Aruppukkottai (143.5 Kms) (Only 18 Kms commissioned, rest to be sanctioned). 4. Minjur – Tiruvallur – Sriperumpudur – Oragadam – Singaperumalkoil – Maduranthagam.
