Singara Chennai a certainty

Chennai
Nov. 12: Year 2009 has been good for DMK strongman M. K. Stalin. His long toil for the party was acknowledged when father Kalaignar Karunanidhi elevated him as deputy chief minister and before that, the DMK-Congress alliance fared well in the Lok Sabha elections. It goes to Mr Stalin’s credit that he shouldered the entire campaign burden for the party since his octogenarian father was unable to travel. In his maiden interview to an English daily since becoming the deputy CM, Mr Stalin explains his views on TN politics, his own role in the strengthening of the DMK, the achievements of the government and his father’s awesome energy.

Excerpts:

Q It has been a long journey since your days as a MISA prisoner to becoming deputy chief minister. How do you feel when you look back and assess your political career?

A. I was 23 when I was detained under MISA. It has been 33 years since then. A journey in public life is always on a path of thorns. One should be ready to strain and stretch the body and the mind to their utmost limits for achieving the goals, ready to sacrifice comforts. Mind should be mature to face hardships. Though my journey has been long and arduous, it has been quite fulfilling too.

Q How do you look at your elevation as deputy chief minister? Do you look at this as a reward for the hard work that you have done for the party? Or do you see this as sharing of responsibility and the work burden with your father?

A. It has been a basic lesson from Kalaignar that we should not lose sight of our purpose by considering any post as a reward or as a status symbol; be it the post of Chennai Mayor, that of local administration minister or the present post of deputy chief minister. No post has ever made me forget that basic lesson even for a moment.

Q Which has been the most satisfying part of your long innings? What aspect of the government satisfies you the most?

A. As far as my experience with the DMK goes, my role in the formation of the party’s youth wing and its development has been the most satisfying part. In the government, the opportunity to contribute to the state’s industrial development and encouraging women self-help groups (SHGs) have given me a greater sense of satisfaction.
Q During your stint as Chennai Mayor, you promised to deliver Singara Chennai, a beautiful Chennai. But the city cannot even withstand a regular monsoon. It has long remained a city without any space for pedestrians, a city that cannot handle its waste properly. Will your present stint as deputy CM deliver Chennai from all its woes?

A. Chennai had just 613 km storm-water drains before 1996. During my stint as Mayor (1996-2001), 133 km-long storm-water drains were laid at a cost of Rs. 68.09 crore. Another 99 km-long storm-water drains were built at a cost of Rs. 54.70 crore from 2006 to 2009 March.
When compared to 2,870 km roads in the city, the storm-water drains are not enough. So we have planned repair of 290 km of old storm-water drains under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Another 183 km of storm-water drains are also planned under this; a total of Rs 1448 crore was allocated for Chennai’s development works under JNNURM.
Marina beautification programme is nearing its completion. New flyovers are under construction. New parks have been developed. City’s walls are decorated with paintings. City’s traffic islands get sculptures depicting Tamil culture and tradition. Hoardings are removed. Posters on city’s walls are banned gradually.
Adyar Poonga being developed at a cost of Rs. 100 crore will symbolise our concern for protection of environment. The new Secretariat complex coming up at Omanthurar government estate and the Anna memorial state library being built at Kotturpuram will put Chennai on the map of global cities.
And similar development works will beautify Chennai city. The dream of Singara Chennai will be fulfilled during the DMK’s regime.

Q There has been a disparity in the quality of education given by a government school and by a private school. Children are the future of the country. Can’t we bridge the gap in quality of education between a government school and a private school?

A. This disparity will soon disappear, I promise. In Tamil Nadu, 83 per cent of the students get their education from government and government-aided schools. It’s completely free. Only 17 per cent of the students go to private schools. The government will introduce equitable standard education system from first standard to tenth standard. Government is also working towards providing state-of-the-art facilities at government schools. Computer education is being emphasized.

Q Also, the stark disparity in treatment between government hospitals and corporate hospitals is strongly felt now. How is the government going to address this problem?

A. Government has to give out from its exchequer for all the facilities at government hospitals. Corporate hospitals will collect fee from the patients and develop their sophisticated facilities. DMK government has allocated Rs 1049 crore to build new buildings at PHCs and government hospitals after assuming power in 2006. Our efforts have reduced the gap between government hospitals and corporate hospitals. Also, the Kalaignar Kaappeettu Thittam (medical insurance scheme), hailed as unique in the country, is enabling the poor to access facilities and treatment in private hospitals.

Q Economists have often recalled the Chinese proverb that it’s better to teach someone to fish rather than gift him a fish. A lot of government money is spent on freebies such as colour TV sets. Even a large section of the middle class got colour TVs free using their ration cards.
Don’t you think the money spent on freebies could be diverted to creating more jobs and thus improving the quality of life?

A. People cannot go hungry till they learn to catch fish on their own. Providing people something free of cost or for a subsidised price is not a laughing matter. It is not healthy that the middle class is availing freebies meant for those below poverty line.
Also, the DMK government has provided jobs to lakhs of people over the last three and half years.
Q How do you assess the fiscal management of the DMK government?

A. The DMK government has achieved targets on every parameter under the fiscal responsibility act in the last three years. For 2009-10, the government has allocated Rs 15,520 crore for social security programmes. At the same time, the allocation for infrastructure is expected to cross Rs 10,000 crore. Our fiscal management is so good that it is not affected by external recession.

Q Chennai airport modernisation work is dragging on and on…..

A. The expansion and modernisation of Chennai airport is expected to be finished by December 2010.

Q How do you rate DMK’s chances of repeating its electoral successes when the next state polls are held?

A. Tamil Nadu has become a model state under the DMK government. The government has ensured social justice and social security. People have been voting for the best performing governments during elections across the country. So, we
strongly believe that the DMK will win the 2011 elections hands down and continue with its good work.

Q Will the DMK-Congress alliance continue for the 2011 polls. Will parties such as the PMK come into your fold?

A. The DMK-Congress alliance will certainly continue for the 2011 elections. No one needs to doubt it. Kalaignar will decide on accommodating new parties in the alliance at the time of elections.

Q Mr Rahul Gandhi during his recent tour of Tamil Nadu has said that Congress would capture power here in 2011 elections. Comment.

A. That belief of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is a prerequisite for any serious politician. A must for the descendant of a great political family.

Q DMDK chief Vijayakanth says he will win the 2011 Assembly polls and become the chief minister …..

A. I wish him well.

Q What do you think are the reasons for your father maintaining such an active life even at this age? As a person closely working with him, can you list out some of the reasons behind that awesome energy?

A. His insatiable desire for writing; his energy for tireless work and competitive spirit; his foresight for achieving historic milestones, all these and more keep him 26 at the age of 86.