Palaniswami asks Tamil Nadu government to retain Vaazhndhu Kattuvom workers

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has urged the Tamil Nadu government to protect the employment of workers attached to the Vaazhndhu Kattuvom Project. Palaniswami said the services of the workers, who were employed under the Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project, were reportedly discontinued with effect from September 23.

He also called for the clearance of their pending two-month salary dues. In his appeal to the TVK-led government, Palaniswami highlighted the difficulty the workers could face in finding alternative employment. He said many had spent most of their employable years working on the project.

He urged the government to consider continuing to use their services under Vaazhndhu Kattuvom Project 3.0. The appeal was based on the workers’ experience and the reported interruption to their employment. The supplied report does not provide a response from the Tamil Nadu government or explain the reasons for the discontinuation.

It also does not state how many workers are affected or whether a formal decision has been taken on the next phase of the project. Palaniswami’s intervention focused on three issues: retaining the affected employees, paying the salary arrears and making use of their experience in the project’s proposed continuation. The Vaazhndhu Kattuvom Project is identified in the report as the Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project.

The report does not provide further details about its structure, funding or timetable. The appeal was reported on October 1, 2026. Any decision by the government on employment protection, unpaid salaries or participation in Project 3.0 was not included in the supplied material.