CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu cabinet headed by chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday decided to constitute a social justice commission headed by a retired Madras High court judge. The commission would conduct a comprehensive statewide social justice survey, one of the key poll promises of TVK.Minister for electricity and law C T R Nirmal Kumar said the survey would be held next year, after the population census is completed by the Union govt. “The commission would be set up by Feb or March next year, after which specific survey rules and guidelines would be framed,” Nirmal Kumar told reporters after the cabinet meeting at Secretariat. Except health and family welfare minister K G Arunraj and natural resources minister T K Prabhu, who were on official visits abroad, other ministers attended the meeting.Nirmal Kumar said the cabinet has also decided to file a review petition against the Supreme Court order against BC(M) quota for converted Muslims. The apex court had recently upheld a Madras high court order quashing a 2024 Tamil Nadu govt order allowing Hindus from backward, most backward and scheduled castes to be categorised as Backward Class (Muslims) after their conversion to Islam, enabling them to enjoy reservation benefits. “Cabinet discussed about the issue and has decided to file a review petition,” Nirmal Kumar said.The cabinet then discussed about the plight of people living on around 600 acres of poromboke land in Thalambur on Chennai’s outskirts, where pattas were issued illegally during previous regimes. The issue had persisted for more than two decades and affects nearly 3,000 residents as well as 15 educational institutions, he said. Following a Supreme Court order, the state govt was developing a redressal mechanism and considering leasing land to educational institutions for a specified period while providing relief to affected families, he said. Cabinet also approved eight new industrial investment proposals, he said.Chairing the meeting, Vijay instructed ministers to ensure there was zero corruption in their departments. He reiterated that neither ministers nor his family members should engage in corrupt practices, and called for transparent, corruption-free governance in keeping with the party’s promise. He also instructed the ministers not to interfere in transfers of govt employees and officials.Sources said that Vijay asked the ministers to ascertain the priorities of people and accelerate welfare delivery accordingly. District-in-charge ministers were asked to focus on monsoon preparedness.
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