CHENNAI: CM MK Stalin on Monday said it was the previous AIADMK government which had stopped free laptop scheme launched by them in 2011.
Stalin said this in the Assembly while refuting criticism that DMK’s welfare measures were targeted towards getting votes and not for social reforms. AIADMK MLA KP Munusamy alleged that the DMK’s social welfare schemes were aimed only at getting more votes.
The CM, who immediately stood up, asked whether the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme was for votes. At this juncture, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami intervened and asked why did the DMK government stop the laptop scheme then. “We did not stop the scheme. It was stopped during the AIADMK period. We have refined the scheme after much thought and are implementing it now,” Stalin said.
Former CM O Panneerselvam, who also spoke during the discussion on the budget, said the debt (loans) should predominantly be spent on capital expenditure. Responding to this, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said since the union government was not allotting adequate funds, it was the state government that was spending for projects.