Chennai: Refuting the Opposition charge, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa informed that no industries have migrated out of Tamil Nadu, which continued to be the most favoured investment destination. She however blamed the previous DMK government of “betraying” TN by accepting certain provisions like taking up the onus to repay Japanese loan and also agreeing to share profits with the Centre, to implement the Metro rail project and said she had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for reconsideration of such provisions and change them in the interest of the state.
Intervening the speech of DMK member T.R.B. Raja, during the debate on demand for grants for industries department in the state Assembly on Thursday, she said not even one industry had opted out of the state and invested in other states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. When Raja alleged that investments went out of Tamil Nadu due to industry-friendly climate in states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, she shot back, “name at least one company which has shut shop in Tamil Nadu and went to Andhra or Karnataka.
The fact is, Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka (N. Chandrababu Naidu and Siddaramaiah) are coming to Tamil Nadu and meeting industrialists here, besides hosting events to attract investments.” “They are wooing entrepreneurs in TN with attractive offers like free land. But, not even one company is willing to move out of here,” Ms Jayalalithaa said, amidst loud thumping of desks by the Treasury.
Contending that if business ought to be profitable in a state, the first requirement is proper maintenance of law and order that is the best in Tamil Nadu alone. Secondly, as far as power is concerned, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are in a situation of buying power from us,” she emphasised. Absolute silence prevailed for some time when both Raja and Ms Jayalalithaa debated in English.
Later, when the subject shifted to Chennai Metro Rail, the CM asked why the previous DMK government (2006-11) had allowed Andhra Pradesh to make coaches though the train service was meant for Chennai. When Raja asked why she was concerned about the issue even as she was opposed to the very Metro Rail project, the CM said instead of replying to her query, Raja was making “irrelevant” remarks. “This shows his lack of maturity,” she said. The DMK members protested.
Smart cards with details of prisoners soon:
Ms Jayalalithaa said a smart cards scheme containing comprehensive particulars on prisoners would be implemented in jails in the state. About 100 more CCTV and IP cameras would be installed in prisons at a total cost of Rs 4 crore.Producing of accused in courts through video conferencing was started during her regime in 2004 and the scheme was now in force in 33 prisons, including all central jails and 352 courts.
Now 51 more courts would be covered under this scheme for Rs 5.23 crore. “This year, a consolidated complex of 13 courts will be constructed in Tiruppur for Rs 33.75 crore. Also, quarters for eight judges and seven new court buildings will be built in Tiruvallur at a cost of Rs 23.51 crore," she said.
Sugarcane growers to get their dues:
Industries minister M.C. Sampath on Thursday said that cooperative sugar mills would pay the outstanding dues to the sugarcane growers this year. Intervening in the debate on demand for grants for industries department, Mr Sampath said that out of the 43 sugar mills including 16 cooperative mills and two public sector mills in the state, five cooperative sugar mills had paid all the dues to the sugar cane farmers.
“We had held five rounds of talks with private sugar mills owners to pay the dues to the farmers,” he said, adding that the cooperative mills would start disbursing the dues to the farmers once it gets Rs 340 crore loan. The minister cited the steep fall in sugar prices in the international market for the non-payment of dues by the mills. The sugar prices has gone down sharply from 2013-14 to 2015-16 and it has been hovering around Rs 28 per kg, he said, adding that while the production cost remained higher between Rs 38 to Rs 45 a kg.”
This difference in the sugar production and selling cost has led to huge backlog of dues to the farmers,” he said, adding that it was national phenomenon. Mr Sampath was responding to DMK’s Neyveli MLA Saba Rajendran who wanted to know when would the sugarcane farmers get their dues.
