Erode

Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare K.G. Arunraj on Sunday (June 14) said that special cancer care centres would be established across Erode district to improve access to treatment and facilitate early diagnosis.

Mr. Arunraj, who was in the district to participate in the convocation of the Government Medical College, Perundurai, along with Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.A. Sengottaiyan and Minister for Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi M. Vijay Balaji , told the media that the government would review the monthly remuneration of medical assistants recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB).

Responding to a question on the shortage of medical personnel, he said the demand for healthcare services had created a need for additional posts and that steps were being taken to address the issue.

On NEET, Mr. Arunraj said the examination was against State rights and adversely affected students from poor and economically weaker sections. The TVK would continue to raise its voice whenever State rights were curtailed.

Commenting on political developments, he claimed that members of various political parties were joining the TVK owing to dissatisfaction within their previous organisations. Referring to the AIADMK, he alleged that the party, founded by M.G. Ramachandran and later led by former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, had weakened over the years.

He further claimed that the AIADMK’s willingness to align with the very party it was formed to oppose had led to discontent among a section of its cadre.

Responding to remarks by former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that the TVK would be defeated in future elections, Mr. Arunraj said such confidence had previously resulted in electoral setbacks for the DMK. If the DMK continued with a similar approach, it would face further rejection from voters.

He also asserted that the present government would provide stable governance during its full five-year term and claimed that, if elections were held now, the DMK would find it difficult to retain even the seats it had won earlier.