Chennai(Tamil Nadu) [India], June 9 (ANI): PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss met Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at the Secretariat on Tuesday to formally submit a resolution demanding the immediate implementation of a caste-based census in Tamil Nadu.

The meeting follows an all-party and community leaders' conference convened by the PMK on June 5, which emphasised that a caste-wise enumeration is essential to safeguard the State's 69% reservation policy. Party leaders argue that with the reservation issue currently pending before the Supreme Court, the government must be prepared to submit empirical, caste-based data to defend the existing quota framework against potential legal challenges.

The conference, which saw participation from over 40 political parties including the AIADMK, TVK, BJP, Congress, Naam Tamilar Katchi, DMDK, and Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, resolved to demand a 'Social Justice Census.' While major parties like the DMK, VCK, and CPI did not attend the meeting in person, Anbumani noted that they had expressed full support for the resolution through letters and telephonic communication.

During his meeting with the Chief Minister, Anbumani pressed for the government to take proactive steps to initiate the census. The PMK leadership has consistently maintained that updated caste-wise demographic data is necessary to provide constitutional and legal backing to the state's reservation policy, which benefits Backwards Classes, Most Backwards Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Government to implement the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (Uyir Neer Iyakkam) across the state. The agreement was signed via video conferencing in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil.Senior officials from both the State and Union Governments participated in the virtual signing ceremony.

According to an official release, the agreement marks a significant step towards strengthening drinking water infrastructure and ensuring sustainable access to safe and adequate drinking water for households across Tamil Nadu.The newly launched Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 aims to further enhance existing water supply systems, improve service delivery, and support long-term water security through highly coordinated efforts between the Centre and the State.

The push for upgraded water systems aligns directly with Chief Minister Vijay's administrative blueprint, the release said.In his first speech after taking charge, the Chief Minister had explicitly vowed to direct the state's full attention toward upgrading basic amenities, with a specific focus on essential civic infrastructure. (ANI)