State finances: Stalin lashes out at Palaniswami, claims AIADMK made TN into revenue deficit

Stalin says out of the 505 election promises made by DMK ahead of 2021 polls, 389 of them have been fulfilled
TN CM and DMK Chief MK Stalin (L), AIADMK party general secretary Edapadi K Palaniswamy.
TN CM and DMK Chief MK Stalin (L), AIADMK party general secretary Edapadi K Palaniswamy.Photo | EPS
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SIVAGANGA: CM MK Stalin on Wednesday came down heavily on Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami for taking a dim view of state’s fiscal situation, and said it was the DMK that brought the state into the black after it being in the red in AIADMK’s rule a decade ago.

Addressing a gathering at a government event organised in Sivaganga, the CM said the state was surplus in revenue when the DMK demitted office in 2011 before the AIADMK ruled TN for a decade.

Stalin’s sharp response to Palaniswami came a day after the AIADMK chief targeted the DMK dispensation over the state’s fiscal condition, claiming TN’s increasing debt-to-GDP ratio seemed to be the ruling party’s achievement. Tamil Nadu has emerged as a state with the highest debt since the DMK came to power about four years ago, despite their assurance to restore the economy, the former CM had said.

Despite being in good terms with the ruling BJP at the Centre, the AIADMK never sought funds for the development of the state, the CM said, adding that in contrast, despite various difficulties, the current dispensation was taking the state on the path of development while implementing various welfare initiatives.

“We are even spending funds for the central projects,” Stalin said.

Further lashing out at the AIADMK leader, the CM said Palaniswami claimed that the state was spending money for useless welfare schemes and projects. “Did he mean the financial aid for women, and breakfast scheme for school students are useless? Palaniswami is thinking that the ruling government has only a few months left in power, but we on the other hand are constantly thinking about the welfare of the people and the ways to implement the measures.”

Stalin said out of the 505 election promises made by his party ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, “we have implemented 389 and only 116 are left to be executed”. He said the remaining 116 promises were pertaining to 34 departments with an average of two to three promises for each.

He challenged Palaniswami to reveal if the various assurances made by the AIADMK in 2011 and 2016, such as Coastal Road from Chennai to Kanniyakumari, cell phones for ration card holders, free bus pass for persons aged over 58 years, Aeropark in south Tamil Nadu, and free wi-fi in public places, among others, had been implemented. Stalin questioned the former CM that “can he publish a book listing out the fulfilled election promises made in 2011 and 2016 assembly polls”?

“Those who made such empty promises are now creating rumours” about the state’s fiscal situation, the CM charged.

Ministers K R Periakaruppan, Raja Kannappan, Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram, Collector Asha Ajith and others were present.

On the occasion, the CM announced various projects for Sivaganga district, including a bypass at an estimated Rs 50 crore. He inaugurated Rs 51.37 crore-worth completed projects such as Anganwadi buildings and school classrooms, besides laying the foundation stone for initiatives to be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 164 crore. He laid foundation stones for the construction of the statues of Marudhu brothers and poet Mudiyarasan; and inaugurated the statue of freedom fighter Veliambalam.

TN CM and DMK Chief MK Stalin (L), AIADMK party general secretary Edapadi K Palaniswamy.
EPS rebuts minister, says debt burden and revenue deficit up under DMK government

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