TENKASI: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Tuesday that the funds allotted to the state by the BJP-led union government stands higher than what was given by the previous UPA government. The minister, who visited Tenkasi to inaugurate a party office, added that the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and the CPM government in Kerala were falsely propagating that the Centre has not been allocating them money.
"Chief Minister MK Stalin could not get any 'commission' in the central government projects, and that is why he has been blaming the central government citing non-allocation of funds for the state. However, the people of Tamil Nadu have benefited from the central schemes," Muraleedharan said, and added that the state had received 1,300 km-long rail projects, 2,000 km railway electrification, five Vande Bharat trains, along with the upgradation of several railway stations, during the BJP tenure.
"Around Rs 1.5 lakh crore has been invested in Tamil Nadu for development of road infrastructure. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated development projects worth Rs 17,300 in Thoothukudi. The DMK government alleges that the Centre did not provide them flood relief. However, in comparison with the previous UPA government, the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) has been hiked by 282 % now. The provision for disaster relief, which was Rs 33,581 crore between 2010 and 2015, was increased to Rs 61,520 crore during 2015-2020. It has now gone up to `1.38 lakh crore," he said.
Meanwhile, commenting on the recent arrest of ex-DMK functionary Jaffer Sadiq, the union minister blamed the DMK leaders for having links with drug dealers.