03-08-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Stalin pushed for ban on lighters before EPS, says Anbarasan
CHENNAI: Following AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami's assurance to Kovilpatti matchbox workers that lighters would be banned if his party came to power, MSME Minister TM Anbarasan said that the union government had already banned lighters under Rs 20 and the import of their spare parts, based on CM MK Stalin's demands.
Anbarasan on Saturday said Stalin had written to the union ministry of commerce and industry in September 2022, demanding a ban on lighters. 'Although lighters under Rs 20 were banned in June 2023, spare parts were imported from various countries and assembled locally to sell lighters. We took up the matter again and pushed for the ban of spare parts in October 2024.'
He further said that although during the Russia-Ukraine war the import of potassium chloride was affected, the TN government 'acted swiftly and procured it through Chennai Petrochemicals, and supplied it to matchbox manufacturers.'
The Tamil Nadu government had also announced a facilitating centre for 'Kadali Mittai' manufacturing at a cost of Rs 7.13 crore with Rs 6.42 crore subsidy.
