Chennai Feb 25 PTI NITI Aayog Member Science and Technology V K Saraswat on Friday called on Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat here and discussed about various opportunities of cooperation between the Centre and the state Under the Cooperative Federalism mandate of NITIAayog Member VK Saraswat met Chief Minister M K Stalin to discuss various opportunities of cooperation between the Centre and State the National Institution for Transforming India NITI Aayog serving as a think-tank to the Centre said in its official handle on the micro-blogging site Saraswat also handed over a report to the Chief Minister that discusses plans to strengthen Tamil Nadus journey towards planned urbanisation NITI Aayogs report on Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India was presented to M K Stalin in the presence of Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan to strengthen Tamil Nadu journey towards planned urbanization another tweet said and shared the image of Saraswat handing over the copy to the Chief Minister PTI VIJ VIJ HDA HDA

Chennai Jan 24 PTI The Tamil Nadu government on Monday urged bankers to ensure that Tamil Language is used in all public interfaces including ATMs This was conveyed by state Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan at a Special State Level Bankers Committee meeting convened by him here where incidentally for the first time consultation was held and suggestions sought from bankers for the upcoming state budget an official release here said The minister urged all bankers to ensure that Tamil Language is used in all public interfaces such as ATMs bank formsetc He stressed the need for bank officials who are deployed in frontline desks and helpline desks in banks to be conversant in Tamil the release said For the first time consultation was held and suggestions sought from bankers for the upcoming budget FY 2022-23 of the Government of Tamil Nadu the release added The minister also reviewed the progress made in the implementation of various Government schemes and urged the banks to expedite the implementation of all priority sector lending schemes and particularly to extend education loans to the students from the poorer sections of the society it said He also urged the banks to ensure banking solutions in unbanked remote areas particularly forested and tribal habitations PTI SA BN BN

Chennai Sep 30 PTI A verbal duel broke out between Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and security personnel at the airport here on Thursday over carrying laptops When Thiaga Rajan gave his bag for scanning to security staff at the domestic terminal they found that it had two laptops and allegedly questioned him for not disclosing that the bag has two laptops airport sources said The Minister apparently irked asked security personnel if two laptops cannot be carried at the same time They replied that in case of electronic devices and gadgets these should be given to them separately for scanning purpose Officials intervened and later Thiaga Rajan moved on with his laptops to board a flight to Tuticorin For a while the argument between them caused a flutter at the airport PTI COR VGN SS SS

Chennai Sep 19 PTI The AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday questioned the DMK governments opposition to bring petroleum products under the Goods and Services Tax GST saying it was contrary to the ruling partys persistent demands for covering fuel under the GST ambit earlier when it was in the opposition Chief Minister M K Stalin as Leader of Opposition in the past had often stressed for bringing petrol and diesel under GST saying it will enable in reduction of the fuel prices AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam said However the government had opposed any move to bring petrol and diesel under the tax ambit in the latest GST Council meeting on Friday saying it was a means of key tax revenue for the states he pointed out DMK is known for taking one stand while in the opposition and another when in power in issues like regional autonomy NEET cancellation and inter-state river disputes the former chief minister said in a party statement Explaining in detail DMKs earlier demand for bringing petroleum products under the GST and its Finance Minister P T Palanivel Thiaga Rajan now opposing any such move he said there was an apprehension among the public that the ruling partys earlier stand was only a desperate attempt to capture power Therefore Chief Minister M K Stain should intervene in the matter immediately and in order to lessen the burden on the people take steps to bring petroleum products under GST and establish DMKs pre-election stand he urged This will also help in total fulfilling of DMKs poll-time promise of reducing the rates of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 3 respectively he added The DMK government had last month announced a cut of Rs 3 per litre in petrol rates Tamil Nadu on Friday opposed the idea of bringing fuels under the goods and services tax GST by saying the petrol and diesel remain one of the last vestiges of a states right to manage its own revenue The GST Council chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday had decided to continue to keep petrol and diesel out of the uniform national tax regime besides taking a number of other taxation related decisions PTI SA APR APR