CM Stalin to be feted on May 3 over landmark SC verdict

CHENNAI: Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan announced there would be a grand felicitation ceremony on May 3 for the Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin, who was instrumental in getting a landmark judgement from the Supreme Court with regard to pending bills with the Governor.

Stating that the Chief Minister has agreed to participate in the event, the Chezhiaan said the ceremony will be held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium from 4 pm.

He said that the Chief Minister has not only secured the rights of Tamil Nadu through the apex Court verdict, but also for the other states across the country.

The apex court in its order said that various Bills passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly pertaining to universities could be re-adopted by the House and pending with the President, were deemed to have been granted assent.

The minister told the House that the move to felicitate the chief minister came against the backdrop of several requests from students, educationists, university vice chancellors, headmasters in the schools, and private school association members.

"They have requested me and the PWD Minister to take their interest to the Chief Minister, who rejected the proposal," he added. However, the Minister said that "when the stakeholders also requested several, the consent was given by the Chief Minister to attend the function.’

Senior advocates to be felicitated

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Stalin is set to host a celebratory gathering in honour of four senior advocates who represented the Tamil Nadu government in its legal battle in the Supreme Court against Governor RN Ravi over the delay in granting assent to state Bills. The case resulted in a landmark verdict upholding the state’s autonomy.

As a gesture of appreciation for the legal team’s role in the apex court and to celebrate the historic judgement, the CM will host a party on April 27 for senior advocates Rakesh Dwivedi, AM Singhvi and Mukul Rohatgi and P Wilson, who is also DMK's Rajya Sabha MP.

According to sources, the event will be organised at a hotel in Guindy. The timing and venue of the event are carrying a strong political message as the information related to the April 27 event percolate from the ruling party on the same day Governor inaugurated a two-day vice-chancellors’ conference in Ooty, with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who criticised the SC’s ruling as ‘judiciary overreach’, as the chief guest.

HIGHER EDU PROJECTS

Rs 100 crore worth upgradation of Central Institute of Technology Campus, Taramani, Chennai

Rs 3 crore allotted for conducting ‘Maaperum Tamil Kanavu Programmes’ in colleges

Rs 4.35 crore is the cost for the provision of interactive smart boards in Government Arts and Science Colleges

Rs 61.16 crore will be the cost to upgradate laboratories of government higher education institutions across the State

Formation of a course review committee to recommend new courses required for government Arts and Science colleges

Provision of Wifi facility in all government Engineering colleges and government Polytechnic colleges in the state

Skill development training will be provided to the teachers of government Arts, Science and Education colleges

Improving Internship training, employment guidance and job placement centres for students of government Arts and Science colleges

Installation of CCTV cameras in government Arts and Science, Engineering and Polytechnic colleges across the State

Formation of a monitoring and awareness committee on gender psychology for government college students