The Hindu : Opposition blames Govt., Treasury Benches counter claim

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Opposition blames Govt., Treasury Benches counter claim

By Our Special Correspondent

Photo: Vino John

The MLAs of the DMK attending the Assembly on Thursday sporting blackbadges, to protest ``denial of the democratic right'' to reply in the House. On Wednesday, they insisted that the DMK MLAs, accused by the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, be given a chance to give their version of the March 25, 1989 Assembly incidents. Later, they were bundled out as they raised slogans and refused to allow the House to conduct business.

CHENNAI March 27 . The Government came under fire in the Assembly yet again on the question of provision of free rice to drought-hit farmers with Opposition members claiming that the benefits did not reach the neediest. But the Treasury Benches maintained that the scheme was working well and that all those who had registered for the new free noon meal scheme were provided with rice.

Citing an instance, E.V. Velu (DMK), said that of the 242 persons who had applied for the scheme at Uzhunthampattu in his Thandarambattu constituency, only 50 received noon meal. Now, only 18 persons were getting free rice. Mr. Velu said he was willing to provide proof of his claim. Supporting him, in the face of Treasury Bench denials, the leader of the Opposition, K. Anbazhagan, said the question was whether only the 18 persons were eligible for free rice. Though the farmers were facing hardship, their frame of mind made them refuse the food on offer, but they were willing to take free rice. ``This is the situation even in my village,'' said Mr. Anbazhagan.

The Health Minister, S. Semmalai, said if the DMK was willing to get more rice released from the Centre, the State would be in a position to provide free grain to more people. Right now, everyone, who had taken noon meal, was getting free rice, he asserted.

Food-for-work

The Opposition also contended that the food-for-work programme was not being implemented properly in many areas. Intervening, the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, said many landless and poor farmers did not come forward to utilise the scheme. ``We cannot force anyone to be part of it.'' District Collectors were taking steps to rope in more people but there was a lot of ``resistance'' from the farmers.

Responding to a specific allegation from Mr. Velu, that at Kurinjippadi, work, earmarked under the food-for-work programme, was being done with heavy machinery, she said the allegation could not be true.

V. Krishnamoorthy (CPI) and Mr. Velu asserted that despite the Government having declared 28 districts drought-hit, kist (land tax) was being collected by the administration. Waving a copy of a land tax receipt, Mr. Velu said that in this particular instance, the kist was collected on March 24, long after the Government had declared most of the districts drought-hit.

The PWD Minister, O. Paneerselvam, said the Government had issued orders that the tax be not collected. If a few persons had paid the tax now, it would be adjusted against their dues for the next year.

H. Raja (BJP), joined Mr. Velu, pointing out that the amount earmarked for construction of hostels for backward and most backward classes remained unutilised and that the Collectors had written to MLAs expressing their inability to use the money for the purpose.

Again, Ms. Jayalalithaa intervened to say the Collectors' letter did not demonstrate the Government's inability. She explained the genesis of the scheme and said it aimed at moving all hostels into government buildings in two years.

The Backward Classes Minister, A. Papasundaram, said this year too, building work would be taken at about 100 places. The Collectors were asked to identify land.

Silence on QMC issue

For the second day running, the Government maintained a studied silence on the move to demolish the Queen Mary's College here for construction of the Secretariat.

K. Pary Mohan (PMK), pointing out there were 4,500 students in the institution, which enjoyed four-star accreditation, argued that the college should not be demolished.

Appropriation Bill passed

The Assembly passed the Tamil Nadu Appropriation Bill, 2003, by voice vote. The Finance Minister, C. Ponnaiyan, introduced the Bill for appropriation of amounts from the Consolidated Fund of the State, as supplementary grants for the services and purposes of the financial year begun April 2002.

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