Ex-AIADMK leader slams BJP over education fund delay, eyes Vijay's party next?
OPS, who was expelled from the AIADMK following Edappadi K Palaniswami's rise but remained with the NDA, said the delay was directly impacting the education of students. 'Due to the Central Government's actions, 25 per cent of students studying under the RTE Act in private schools are now facing uncertainty.The dispute between the Centre and the State should not be a reason to punish students and teachers,' he said. He further accused the Centre of violating both the Right to Education Act and the principles of federalism.The timing of OPS' statement is politically significant, as EPS has launched a statewide tour and has categorically rejected any re-entry of OPS into the AIADMK fold.Sources close to OPS suggest his camp is now increasingly aligning with actor Vijay's Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam, raising speculation about a potential alliance ahead of the 2026 elections.- EndsMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘UP govt revamped edu sector in 8 yrs'
Lucknow: Over the past eight years, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP govt in the state took several steps to improve the education sector in UP. Various schemes were implemented, like Operation Kayakalp, Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI Yojana and the Prerna App, to ensure more enrolment in schools and to improve existing infrastructure, said a govt spokesperson. "This remarkable transformation was acknowledged by NITI Aayog and the govt of India as a model of effective governance and innovation. It stands as proof that with strong political will and strategic planning, even the most broken systems can be reformed," the official said. He said that the govt initiated Operation Kayakalp and schools were given targets across 19 key parameters. They have so far achieved a 96% success rate. Under this, the availability of toilets for girls increased from 33.9% to 83.3%, with 53,154 toilets for boys and 51,826 for girls constructed. There was a 30% increase in the electrification of schools, reaching 85.9%. Safe water facilities were installed in 88.5% of schools. Another 61,128 schools were equipped with furniture, and boundary walls were constructed for 51,826 schools. The govt built 4,336 new schools and renovated 7,229 schools. Library access in schools rose from 22.9% in 2010 to 77.6% in 2024. In 2024-25, the govt distributed 15.37 crore textbooks. In 2016-17, 96,700 teachers were provided training. Against this, 4.53 lakh teachers were trained in foundational literacy, numeracy, and digital teaching in 2024-25. Over 25,000 smart classes and 5,568 ICT labs were set up, and 2.61 lakh tablets were distributed. Mid-day meal coverage increased from 71.3% in 2010 to 95.4% in 2024. Enrolment of girls went up from 72,680 in 2017 to 83,584 in 2024-25. ICT labs, smart classes, dormitories, computer labs, etc, are available in 746 KGBV schools, while 718 dormitories, 514 toilet blocks and 574 computer labs were built, the spokesperson said. Currently, Rs 1,200 is being provided to each student for uniforms, shoes, sweaters, stationery, etc, he said. Under the CM model composite school scheme, two modern schools are each being built in 75 districts at a cost of Rs 30 crore per school. Under the PM SHRI scheme, 1,722 schools are being equipped with state-of-the-art technology, he said. The spokesperson said the govt is spending Rs 5,000 per school for sports and physical education. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rs 697cr disbursed to over 34.85L farmers in state under PM-Kisan
Bhubaneswar: A total of Rs 697 crore was disbursed to over 34.85 lakh farmers in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme on Saturday. The state-level programme, held at ICAR-CIFA on the city's outskirts was attended by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferring Rs 20,500 crore directly into the bank accounts of over 9.7 crore farmers across the country from Varanasi. Under the scheme, Rs 2,000 each was transferred directly to the bank accounts of farmers. Majhi said, "It is our govt's commitment to ensure the inclusion of all eligible beneficiaries under the scheme. No eligible farmer in the state should be left out," he said, adding that saturation drives are underway in all blocks. He emphasised the govt's pro-farmer approach, highlighting that over 50 lakh farmers are also receiving Rs 4,000 annually under the CM-Kisan scheme. Together with PM-Kisan, eligible farmers are receiving a total of Rs 10,000 per year, he added. Calling on farmers to diversify, Majhi asked them to practice fisheries and animal husbandry to boost income. "Your income will not just double but multiply many times," he said. The CM also spoke about additional support under the Samruddha Krushak Yojana, under which farmers are being given Rs 800 per quintal as input assistance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Couple Wonders Why Their Photo Went Viral Till They Go Through The Comments Learn More Undo He said around 17 lakh farmers received Rs 6,000 crore in kharif 2024, and over 3 lakh farmers got more than Rs 1,600 crore during rabi. Deputy CM K V Singh Deo said Odisha has received the 'Agriculture Today' award and reiterated the state's focus on doubling farmer incomes. He urged farmers to take up oilseed cultivation and adopt organic methods for better soil health and sustainable farming. The day was observed as 'PM-Kisan Diwas' across all districts, blocks and panchayats, with awareness campaigns held to educate farmers about eligibility criteria under the scheme. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik slams govt for scrapping metro project
Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has lashed out at the BJP-led state government for scrapping the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project. Patnaik, in a strongly worded post on X, called it a betrayal of the city's future. "The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project would have reshaped how the city moves. Now, the double-engine government has pushed it 10 years back," Patnaik wrote. The first phase of the Rs 6,255 crore project, from the airport to Trisulia, was greenlit during Patnaik's tenure and scheduled to complete by December 2027. But the project was shelved recently, with DMRC issuing termination notices to contractors. The BJP government defended the move, saying the earlier route wasn't viable and that a more expansive Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack corridor is being planned. "We are preparing a new DPR and forming a committee to study similar metros. The revised plan will connect all major cities," said Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra.
