CHENNAI: Coming out with a detailed analysis, Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan on Friday tore into the State Budget calling it a “photocopy of previous years” and regretted that the the exercise had nothing constructive for farmers, weavers and fishermen.
Kamal, who took to Twitter to share his party's views on the Budget, said the statement got delayed by a day since they wanted to comment with certain details and carried out a limited review.
Splitting his one-page statement into nine segments, Kamal pointed out the loopholes in these sectors in the Budget and condemned the state government in increasing the debt burden on the citizens.
“Except for the 'kural' changed at the beginning, the budget speech seems largely a photocopy of previous years(s). Nothing significant for farmers, weavers and fishermen. My people deserve better representatives to script their future,” the statement said.
Noting that close to 1 crore people have registered themselves at the employment exchange, the budget says only 4 lakh youth have been skilled out of which just 1 lakh have been placed. “Where is the skill development? Where are the jobs for our youth?” Kamal asked in the statement.
He also sought to know whether the Rs 250 crore allotted for the long-pending Athikadavu-Avinashi project will again be a “mirage” like last year's budget allocation of the same amount. He also sought to know whether the government was ready to publish a white paper on work done on Kudimaramath project with last year's allocation.
“Despite '27,000 crores spent on school education, my Tamil Nadu students fare significantly below national average in all subjects including the mother tongue - Tamizh. Is this the quality of education that Minister bragging about? We need outcomes, not outlays,” Kamal said.
Talking about Global Investors Summit, Kamal said before inviting the investors for the summit in 2019, the government should grant permits to local industries without corruption and delays. He also attacked the government for making no mention of Hindu Religious and Endowments in this year's budget. “Has the department vanished like the 1,000 idols that have gone missing?” he asked.
On Wakf board, Kamal asked how minorities can trust a government to fulfil promises made to them in the budget when it cancels elections to the Wakf board abruptly.
“Our teary condemnation to the rulers who have trebled the debt burden on every Thamizhian's head from Rs 15,000 to Rs 45,000 in 8 years,” Kamal said.
