Chennai: It is all high decibel promises on industrialisation and employment opportunities for youth in the Assembly election campaign now. While the AIADMK has come out with arguments to assert its good performance, the Opposition loses no opportunity to play down the rival’s claims and promises better measures to industrialise the state.
The DMK alleges that the state’s performance has hit the rock bottom during the AIADMK rule and cites media reports on impediments to economic growth to prove its point. The DMK has promised a ‘single window clearance’ to set up industries. It has stated it would provide one lakh jobs every year in the private sector.
Countering the opposition campaign, AIADMK says its government had set up district level placement cells in district employment offices in 2012. The cells have helped private sector to fulfill their manpower requirements and help unemployed youth to get placements in private companies.
The AIADMK ministers and functionaries say 17,653 job seekers got placements in private sector in 2014-15 through the placement cells. Besides, mega job fairs were organised at Sankarapuram, Kovilpatti, Madurai, Jolarpet, Tuticorin, Chinnasalem and Orathanadu in which 862 private players participated. Of the 79,758 applicants, 15,789 were selected for jobs.
But, the opposition is promising much more job opportunities in sand mining and granite quarrying sector. The DMK has promised to generate two lakh jobs in the sector, besides filling three lakh vacancies in government. It has also promised to provide Rs 1 lakh loan to one lakh unemployed youth to start business.
The PMK has asserted it would generate Rs 1 jobs by increasing industrial investments and speeding up growth. Though, the People Welfare Alliance has not released its manifesto, its coordinator and MDMK leader Vaiko, who launched the election campaign, has vowed to start more industries through a single window clearance and create more jobs.
But, the AIADMK counters the opposition promises saying its government had done enough to boost industrial growth. Minister P. Thangamani in his campaign cites the data book published in December 2014 by Union Planning Commission to stress that Tamil Nadu has emerged the second largest economy among States with a GDP of Rs 4,80,618 crore.
During 2014-2015, the state had registered a growth of 7.29 per cent much higher than the national growth rate of 4.74 per cent. The Annual Survey of Industries by Central Statistical Organisation is also quoted to assert that Tamil Nadu is the first in the highest number of factories (36,869), number of workers (16,02,447), invested capital (Rs 2,92,260 crore) and third in terms of value of industrial output (Rs 6,19,525 crore).
But, the opposition cites surveys by other economic agencies and questions the State government’s claims. Its main focus of attack is the government’s claim on attracting investments for over Rs 2 lakh crore through the Global Investors Meet in September last year. Claims and counter claims notwithstanding, there is a maze of statistics and data before the educated youth for them to decide before pressing the EVM button.
