Chennai, Apr 8 : Ending their ten-year-long prolonged ordeal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin today announced that priority will be given to former ‘Makkal Nala Paniyalargal’ (welfare workers) in the appointment of Project Coordinators (PCs) under the MGNREGS scheme in 12,524 village panchayats in the State. Responding to concerns expressed former AIADMK Minister Sellur K. Raju, representing Madurai West, in the State Assembly during the demand for grants for Cooperation and Food and Consumer Protection departments, he said a decision in this regard was taken after holding talks with the former workers. However, it would be subject to the outcome of the cases pending before the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister added. If appointed, they would additionally hold responsibilities in the village panchayats and will be paid Rs 7,500 a month, the Chief Minister said and added that In respect of former welfare workers who had died in the past ten years, priority would be given to their legal heirs, if they wished, in the appointment of coordinators. It may be recalled that the DMK regime headed by then Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi in September 1989 had appointed 25,234 welfare workers in 12,617 village panchayats (a woman and a man for every village panchayat) to provide employment for educated youths and to aid in government schemes. However, the AIADMK government which came to power in 1991, cancelled these appointments. When the DMK government, which returned to power in 1997, re-created these posts again only to be cancelled again the AIADMK government in June 2001. In 2006, the DMK government again created 12,618 fresh posts, which was once again cancelled by the AIADMK regime in November 2011. Several petitions were filed in the Madras High Court, which ruled in favour of the workers in August 2014. But, the AIADMK government filed a SLP in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court ruling and obtained an interim stay. The SLPs were converted into civil appeals in In August 2017 and they were last heard in February this year. Considering the long-pending requests of these workers, the Rural Development Department held talks with them and after consulting legal experts, the ruling DMK has now taken a fresh decision which will be subject to the Supreme Court’s judgment. GV 1650