COIMBATORE: Urging voters in Coimbatore to continue their support to the AIADMK in the local body by-elections for a permanent solution to the power crisis, party general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said uninterrupted power was provided acr0ss the State for 97 out of 106 days, starting June 1.
Highlighting the steps taken by her government to achieve this feat at her campaign meeting here, the CM said, “In the last three years, installed capacity was increased by 2,793 MW and 500 MW was purchased as mid-term arrangement. Tamil Nadu will receive 737 MW of additional power in the coming months from new projects. In 2014-15, the State will get an additional 2,430 MW. Compared to 208 million units per day during the previous DMK regime in 2010-11, the total power distribution has now gone up to 267 million units per day.”
Strongly refuting the accusation of Tamil Nadu being the worst-performing State in terms of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), the Chief Minister said, “The State faced a severe drought due to failure of monsoon rains and the agricultural sector also registered a negative growth rate. But the situation has changed and the GSDP has increased to 7.29 per cent, which is higher than the national average of 4.74 per cent. The agricultural production of Tamil Nadu increased to 101.52 lakh metric tonnes in 2011-12, and is projected to go up to 110.65 lakh metric tonnes in 2014-15.”
“In the last three years, MoUs were entered into with 33 Indian and foreign companies for investment of `31,706 crore and 97 new industries were set up in Coimbatore, providing employment to 11,600 people,” she added.
Stating that the focus of national parties will be at the Centre, the Chief Minister said, “While these parties were unable to solve issues faced by the state, we cannot expect them to solve the issues of local bodies like Coimbatore Corporation.”
“In the Cauvery issue, the BJP government has not constituted the Cauvery Management Board as per the Supreme Court order, fearing they could lose votes in Karnataka. Similarly on Mullaiperiyar Dam issue, CPM in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have different opinions and their central committee is silent,” she said.
Eighty per cent of voters in Coimbatore are AIADMK cadre and there is no use in casting votes to BJP or CPM in this local body polls, she added.