Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday said that the government was considering the long-pending demand for the creation of a new district with Mayiladuthurai as its headquarters, by bifurcating Nagapattinam district.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Nagapattinam Government Medical College in Orathur near Nagapattinam, he said that one of the long-pending demands from the people and elected representatives of Nagapattinam district has been fulfilled with the laying of the foundation stone for a medical college.
The other demand to create a separate Revenue District with Mayiladuthurai as headquarters was under the active consideration of the government, he said. “Handlooms Minister O.S. Manian and the MLAs of Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi have been pressing the demand ever since the new government under my leadership took over the regime after the demise of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma,” he added.
Stating that the setting up of a medical college would help the people of Nagapattinam district avail the best medical treatment, Mr. Palaniswami listed out various projects implemented throughout the State to improve the healthcare services offered to the people of Tamil Nadu through the network of government hospitals and primary health centres.
Thanking the Prime Minister and Union Health Minister for granting permission to start 11 medical colleges at one go in Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister said the State government was pursuing with vigour the Godavari-Cauvery river linking project proposal, to find a lasting solution to the persistent problem of shortage of water for irrigation in the delta region.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said that the long-pending demand of the people of Nagapattinam district to have a medical college in their district would soon become a reality.
Thanking the Chief Minister and the Health Minister for the setting up of the Medical College in Orathur, Mr. Manian said the hospital would have 750 beds and would have an intake of 150 students per year in the MBBS programme. The Medical College-cum-hospital is to come up at 60.04 acres at Orathur at a total cost of ₹367 crore and the admission for the medical course at this college was likely to commence from the 2021 academic year itself.
