Tamil Nadu Minister Launches Scathing Attack on Centre

 Chennai: State Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu launched a scathing attack on the Union Government accusing it of betraying Tamil Nadu by not releasing funds for education and depriving the State of development projects in the railways, roadways, water supply, housing and other schemes while States like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra were being favoured through more funds.

Replying to the debate on the supplementary demands for grants in the State Assembly on Friday, Thenarasu said the Union Government was seeking to impede the sustainable development of the State through its various actions like without holding over Rs 4,000 crore meant for school education.

However, Chief Minister M K Stalin had ensured that the education of children was not affected in any way because of the Union Government’s betrayal by releasing the necessary funds that were spent primarily on paying salaries to staff, development of infrastructure in schools and other needs of students.

Accusing the Union Government of harbouring political animosity against the State, he said that Tamil Nadu had not been given a single express highway in the Rs 50,655 crore road project that had allotted Rs 30,207 for the three States of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra alone.

Even in the Jal Jeevan scheme to provide water to households, the Union Government had not released Rs 3407 crore for the State. In fund sharing, Tamil Nadu had been given short shrift with the allocation going down by 42 per cent. He also said that the State that had 6 per cent of the population in the country gets just 4 percent funding.

Wondering as to why the Union Government was showing partiality in railway projects, Thenarasu asked why the Metro Rail projects for cities like Coimbatore and Madurai, the Minister said the Chief Minister would do everything that the State needed and the DMK would win every election in future.