Makkal Nala Paniyalargal to be reinstated

Chief Minister MK Stalin told the legislature today that all the Makkal Nala Paniyalargal (Staff for People’s Welfare) who were sacked during the previous government would be in their services. 

Chief Minister MK Stalin has given an explanation in this regard. He said: There are many cases in the court regarding the Makkal Nala Paniyalargal(MNP). In 1989, 25,354 workers were recruited for various tasks at the village level.

In 1991, 25,234 workers were laid off under the AIADMK regime. When the DMK came back to power in February 1997, they were re-employed. The subsequent AIADMK government fired the staff for people’s welfare in June 2001. After the DMK came to power, in June 2006, former Chief Minister Karunanidhi re-employed them. 12,618 were reinstated on the basis of one per panchayat.

Following the AIADMK's return to power, the Jayalalithaa government sacked them in November 2011. It has been alternating between providing jobs when the DMK comes to power and dismissing them when the AIADMK comes to power. In this context, various cases against the dismissal continued in the High Court and the Supreme Court.

In August 2014, the Madras High Court ruled that the MNP should be re-employed. But the AIADMK government appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict. In this context, it has been decided to provide 100-day work project coordinator jobs in 12,524 panchayats. Appointments will be made in order to give priority to former MNPs.

In addition, the Rs 3,000 salary already paid to those workers will now be increased to Rs 5,000. Panchayat work will also be set aside for 100-day work coordinators and an additional monthly salary of Rs 2,500 will be paid. A total of Rs 7,500 per month will be available to the MNPs whose jobs would be revoked. Family heirs of MNPs who are already employed will also be offered employment if they wish. Thus said CM Stalin.