Singapore-like standards to tackle Chennai floods: Kamal Hassan-led MNM’s promise in 7-point governance agenda – Times Now

Chennai: Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has promised Singapore-like standards to tackle the flood situation in the Tamil Nadu capital in its seven-point agenda each for rural and urban governance on Monday.

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the newly formed party released its agenda that it prepared in consultation with Chennai-based social organisation Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, said actor-politician Kamal Haasan at a video press conference.

MNM’s agenda includes bringing in Singapore-like standards to mitigate flooding, especially in Chennai, international standards for traffic management and environmental protection in urban areas. The party said it would support any panchayat or corporation which “adopts international standards in ecological sensitivity to become clean and green with the participation of citizens and NGOs” if elected to power.

In rural areas, the MNM has promised salary to panchayat presidents and councillors. It also offers the right to recall elected members in grama sabhas. Further, the party promised that the functions of the panchayat body will be digitally available on apps for the public. An ombudsman at the state and district levels to tackle issues raised by rural local bodies has also been promised.

On January 13, Kamal Haasan announced a seven-point “MNM Agenda for Industry” for Tamil Nadu, proposing measures to give a fillip to the sector. A new business facilitation model and a “Ministry of Possibilities” are the key proposals the party made in the agenda.

“A Ministry of Possibilities will be established to cater to science and technology, start-ups and innovation to give a fillip to the industrial revolution 4.0,” a party release said.

In November, the MNM proposed a computer with high-speed internet for every household and salary for women homemakers for their household work in its seven-point governance and economic agenda.