CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday listed out 10 key achievements of his government, a day after AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the DMK government on its performance in the past 33 months. “Tamil Nadu contributes 9% to the country’s total economy. This is our foremost achievement,” the CM told the Tamil Nadu Assembly. “All this has been achieved despite facing severe financial crunch, challenges posed by natural calamities, and step-motherly treatment meted out to the state by the union government,” Stalin said.
Replying to the discussion on the motion moved in the State Assembly to express the House’s agony over the governor’s decision to read out only the first page of his customary address, the CM said, “Once upon a time, we raised the slogan ‘vadakku vaazhkirathu; therkku theikirathu’ (north is thriving; south is waning). But now we have grown to the level where people say ‘south grows and it also contributes to the growth of north’. This has become possible for TN only because of the Dravidian movement.”
‘TN secured second place in contribution to the nation’s GDP’
The chief minister presented his ‘progress record’ in the House after principal opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami disputed the his claim about fulfilling more than 95% of DMK’s poll promises. “The DMK government had fulfilled just 10% of its poll promises,” EPS had said.
Giving a long list of his government’s achievements, the CM said TN has secured second place in contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. The state’s growth rate stands at 8.19% compared to the nation’s growth rate of (7.24%). While the inflation rate at the national level stands at 6.65%, it is 5.97% in TN, Stalin said.
The CM said TN stands first in export preparedness index and export of electronic goods. “We have brought the state to the third spot from 14th on list of states conducive for industrial investment. Also, the state stands second in education and tops in innovative industries.”
He said youth, women, disabled, and marginalised and oppressed people have started saying that their livelihood has been improving. I have distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 6,569.75 crore across the state through government functions, Stalin said.
“After the union government stopped GST compensation on June 30 last year, TN has been facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore per year. The centre fails to offer new schemes to states ruled by the opposition, and the only announcement for TN on AIIMS hospital, too, remains unfulfilled,” he added.
Referring to the question of Palaniswami about the Ungal Thoguthiyil Mudhalvar Scheme, the CM said administrative sanction has been given for 797 works at a cost of Rs 11,132 crore in 234 Assembly constituencies under this scheme. Of them, G.O. has been issued for 582 and 63 works have been completed. The rest of the work has been going on. In the native constituency of the opposition leader, five works have been taken up and three have been completed, he said