Tamil Nadu MLAs to Get New Cars, Rs 75,000 Monthly Driver Allowance

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has announced that all state MLAs will receive new cars for constituency visits, along with a monthly allowance of Rs 75,000 for driver salaries and vehicle-related expenses.

The announcement was made in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after VCK MLA Jothimani raised concerns about the logistical difficulties faced by legislators while travelling to their constituencies and meeting residents.

Under the new support package, each MLA will also receive Rs 25,000 per month to hire an assistant for their office.

New cars and allowances for Tamil Nadu MLAs

Vijay said legislators need to regularly travel across their constituencies to address public concerns and carry out their responsibilities effectively.

The government will therefore provide vehicles to all MLAs to facilitate constituency travel.

The Rs 75,000 monthly allocation will cover driver salaries and expenses associated with the vehicle. An additional Rs 25,000 will be provided every month for an assistant in each MLA's office.

The proposal came after a demand for better logistical support was raised in the Assembly.

A senior DMK legislator said similar demands had been raised by lawmakers under previous governments but were not implemented because of financial constraints.

The legislator also pointed out that several local-body representatives, including mayors, deputy mayors and municipal and union chairpersons, already receive official vehicles.

Rs 351 crore boost for medical education

The Tamil Nadu government has also announced an allocation of Rs 351 crore to expand admission capacity in government medical and healthcare institutions.

The expansion will create 6,098 additional seats across various healthcare courses.

These include 660 new BSc Nursing seats, 1,925 additional seats in nursing colleges and schools, 2,778 seats across 12 paramedical courses and 735 additional seats in medical courses.

The government will also establish seven new government nursing colleges as part of the expansion.

New 400-bed hospital in Perambalur

Tamil Nadu will also establish a 400-bed multi-speciality hospital in Perambalur at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.

The proposed facility is expected to provide advanced treatment and specialised healthcare services to patients in the region.

Health insurance coverage may rise to Rs 25 lakh

The government has proposed a significant increase in the annual medical treatment coverage under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.

The current annual limit of Rs 5 lakh is proposed to be increased to Rs 25 lakh.

The government has also announced additional medical and surgical services for transgender persons under the scheme.

These services will be made available at government hospitals in Chennai Stanley, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Chengalpattu, Thiruvarur, Karur and Kanyakumari.

The announcements cover both administrative support for elected representatives and expanded healthcare infrastructure and insurance coverage across Tamil Nadu.