Latest news with #V.Senthilbalaji
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bill to amend Goondas Act introduced in Tamil Nadu Assembly
The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday (April 26, 2025) introduced a Bill in the Assembly to amend the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum-Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982. Though the Bill bore the name of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji, who was present in the House, Law Minister S. Regupathy introduced it in the Assembly. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in 2024-25, announced in the Assembly that the Act (Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982) would be amended suitably to control the activities of persons committing economic offences. Biomedical waste rules Explaining the need to amend the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982, the Bill also recalled the observation of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that it was time to book the violators of the Rules. The Bill also pointed out the grave risks posed by biomedical waste to public health and environment, and complaints about the dumping of such waste in Tamil Nadu from neighbouring States. The Bill said certain consequential amendments were required since the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Central Act XLV of 1860) and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974) were repealed and re-enacted as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 45 of 2023) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 46 of 2023), respectively.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu Assembly introduces Bill to amend Goondas Act
The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday (April 26, 2025) introduced a Bill in the Assembly to amend the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum-Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982. Though the Bill bore the name of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji, who was present in the House, Law Minister S. Regupathy introduced it in the Assembly. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in 2024-25, announced in the Assembly that the Act (Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982) would be amended suitably to control the activities of persons committing economic offences. Biomedical waste rules Explaining the need to amend the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982, the Bill also recalled the observation of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that it was time to book the violators of the Rules. The Bill also pointed out the grave risks posed by biomedical waste to public health and environment, and complaints about the dumping of such waste in Tamil Nadu from neighbouring States. The Bill said certain consequential amendments were required since the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Central Act XLV of 1860) and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974) were repealed and re-enacted as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 45 of 2023) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 46 of 2023), respectively.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
SC tells Senthilbalaji to choose between ministership and freedom
1. Supreme Court tells Senthilbalaji to choose between ministership and freedom The Supreme Court took stern exception to the continuance of Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V. Senthilbalaji in office while out on bail in money laundering proceedings linked to a cash-for-jobs 'scam', saying 'you have to make a choice between the post and your freedom'. 2. Madras HC to take up suo motu writ against Minister Ponmudy's speech The Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition with respect to a derogatory speech delivered by Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy against Saivites, Vaishnavites and women in general. 3. Madras HC reverses discharge of Minister Duraimurugan in 2002 disproportionate assets case The Madras High Court reversed the discharge order passed by a special court in Vellore in 2007 in a disproportionate assets case booked by the DVAC in 2002 for having allegedly amassed the wealth between 1996 and 2001 when he had served as Minister for Public Works Department (PWD) in former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's Cabinet. 4. TASMAC versus ED case: Madras HC dismisses pleas against search The Madras High Court dismissed writ petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) to declare as illegal a search and seizure operation carried out by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) at the corporation's headquarters in Chennai between March 6 and 8. 5. State government approves Chennai Metro Rail's Airport-Kilambakkam project After years of wait, the Tamil Nadu government has approved Chennai Metro Rail's Airport-Kilambakkam project and has forwarded the detailed project report (DPR) to the Centre. To be built at an estimated cost of ₹9,335 crore, the Airport-Kilambakkam corridor is expected to significantly improve the commute for those residing in the city's southern areas such as Chromepet, Pallavaram, Tambaram and Perungalathur.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Udangudi power plants in Thoothukudi to be commissioned by the end of 2025: T.N. Electricity Minister
The first of the two 660-megawatt (MW) power plants being constructed at Udangudi in Thoothukudi district would be commissioned by July, with the second likely to be commissioned in October this year, said Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji in the Assembly on Tuesday (April 22, 2025). Speaking during the demand for grants for the Electricity Department, he said more than 91% of the work in the Udangudi power project (2x660 MW) had been completed. He said the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS) Stage 3 project with a capacity of 800 MW, which was initiated by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, was commissioned and inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on March 7, 2024. The power plant has produced 1,2283 million units. Similarly, 60% of the work on the Ennore SEZ power project, comprising two 660-MW power stations, has been completed, and it is expected to be commissioned by March 2026. In response to criticism over power tariff hike, Mr. Senthilbalaji said that during the last AIADMK regime, the tariff was increased thrice — 37% in 2012, 3.57% in 2013, and 16% in 2016, and was reduced by 4% in 2017. In the renewable energy segment for the fiscal 2024-25, 2,786 MW of solar and wind projects were commissioned, with the State being the leader in the renewable energy generation having a total installed capacity of 27,736.56 MW. Also, the Electricity Department achieved the highest target of hydroelectric generation of 4,329 MW fixed by the Central Electricity Authority, the Minister said. He added that when Mr. Stalin took over the reins, the total installed capacity of power generation was 32,595 MW, and within four years, it had increased to 39,770 MW. Mr. Senthilbalaji said the State's electricity demand had gone past the 20,000-MW mark, touching an all-time high of 20,830 MW in 2024-25, with the total electricity consumers standing at 3.44 crore. The highest demand in 2020-21 was 16,481 MW.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
TASMAC employees in Tamil Nadu get a salary hike of ₹2,000
The State government has announced a hike of ₹2,000 for all the employees working in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) with effect from April 1, said V. Senthilbalaji, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise in the Assembly on Tuesday (April 22, 2025). In a reply to a question during the demand for grants for the Prohibition and Excise Department, he said the hike would be across the board for all 23,629 employees, comprising 6,567 supervisors, 14,636 sellers and 2,426 assistant sellers. The hike will result in an additional outgo of ₹64.08 crore per month for the State. The State government had earned a revenue of ₹48,344 crore for the fiscal 2024-25 (subject to reconciliation) through excise and value added tax of liquor. It has brought in the Tamil Nadu Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 2024, to curb distribution of illicit liquor in the State. The amendment has increased punishment and has accorded powers to confiscate all movable properties used in committing the offence and to seal unlicensed places used for consumption of illicit liquor. The State government, to curb the use of drugs and narcotics, has provided 50 hand-held oral fluid drug testing devices to the officials of the Enforcement Bureau of the Criminal Investigation Unit (EBCID). The hand-held devices will assist in faster detection of drug users and have increased the number of police awards given by the Chief Minister Police medal to 15 in 2025-26. The Prohibition and Excise department would be computerising the EBCID by deploying digital forensic tools for web analytics, and OSINT (Out of the Box) tools, to control online drug smuggling. A dedicated web portal for the EBCID would be launched for creating database of the criminal investigations for which an amount of ₹35 lakh has been allotted, Mr. Senthilbalaji said.
