CHENNAI: School Education Minister Rajmohan said in the Assembly on Tuesday that changing the names of government schemes was not new, citing former Chief Minister Karunanidhi's statement about renaming a film city in Chennai.

During the discussion on the demands for grants for the Public Works Department and Highways Department in the Assembly, DMK MLA EV Velu asked why there was a need to change the name of the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme to the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme.

Intervening, Minister Rajmohan said that changing the names of government schemes was not new. "In 1996, after the change of regime, the then Chief Minister Karunanidhi announced that the JJ Cine Film City would be renamed MGR Film City. Name changes have happened over a period of time in every regime," Minister Rajmohan said.

He also said the previous DMK government had renamed several schemes. Highlighting the scheme names, he said Amma Pasumai Veedu was changed to Kalaignar Kanavu Illam, while Amma Marunthagam and Amma Clinic were changed to Mudhalvar Marunthagam and Mudhalvar Clinic, respectively.

Justifying the use of Kamarajar's name for the Breakfast Scheme, he said the scheme would be expanded at a cost of Rs 203.72 crore and that Kamarajar's name was appropriate for the scheme.