Chennai
Denying the allegations of DMK MLA Mathivanan, who had held the same portfolio during the previous DMK regime, Shunmuganathan said the government was procuring only good quality milk from the producers.
Alleging that some people were attempting to sell sub-standard milk to Aavin, the minister, replying to the debate on demand for grants for his department, said the government was only saying no substandard milk.
Aavin procurement increased by 10 lakh litres
Accusing the opposition parties of politicising government’s efforts to prevent sub-standard quality milk from reaching Aavin, Shunmuganathan said that milk procurement had increased from 20.67 lakh litre in 201011 DMK regime to 31lakh litre now only due to the concerted efforts taken by the AIADMK regime.
Also refuting the claims of Mathivanan that the DMK had held talks with milk cooperative societies, the minister said the AIADMK regime had only taken all possible steps to increase Aavin procurement. Comparing the budgetary allocation made for the ministry during DMK and incumbent AIADMK regimes, Shunmuganathan said the DMK had only allocated Rs 97 crore, whereas the incumbent regime has allocated Rs 593.65 crore for dairy development.
However, the minister could not give a concrete reply to Mathivanan’s query on why the number of milk suppliers had come down to 4.6 lakh from 4.8 lakh in 2008 despite the government distributing 60,000 milch cows per year.
Introducing mini buses in Madurai will be taken up with CM
Earlier, during the question hour, state Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar told the House that the department would take up the issue of operating mini buses in Madurai with the chief minister.
He was responding to his party colleague Rajan Chellappa’s query on whether would consider operating buses in the streets adjoining the heritage Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple.
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