The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Ministers present proposals for schemes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 30, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Ministers present proposals for schemes

R.K.Radhakrishnan

Many had found a mention in Governor's address

CHENNAI: Ministers and Secretaries of various departments presented their proposals for new schemes to Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi and members of the Standing Committee on Finance at the Secretariat here on Wednesday.

The presentations will continue on Thursday for the remaining departments. The new schemes, `Part II' in government parlance, are mainly the ones that have been mentioned in the Governor's address. Since all of the promises made in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam manifesto have not found place in the Governor's address, the departments that made presentations had also included these in their proposals of works to be taken up for the coming year.

Once these proposals are firmed up, they will be looked at in relation to `Part I' schemes — the ones already in operation. Since the Government has not announced scrapping of any of the schemes chalked out by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, finances have to be allocated for these. Usually, the Part II schemes get preferential treatment with any government. How many new schemes could be fitted in for the year would depend on the amount of resources available.

Sectoral priorities

The Standing Committee on Finance is more like a Cabinet Sub Committee and considers the proposals put forth by the various departments. The schemes drawn up by the departments — based on the manifesto — are vetted by the State Planning Commission. The Commission decides on the sectoral priorities and makes its recommendations while the Finance department looks at the resource allocation aspects of the proposals.

All these have to be within the annual plan size of Rs.12,500 crore fixed by the Union Planning Commission after discussions with the Chief Minister.

Members of the Committee including Finance Minister K.Anbazhagan, Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veerasamy, PWD Minister Durai Murugan and Local Administration Minister M.K.Stalin and officials considered the proposals.

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