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Tamil Nadu
By Our Special Correspondent
It all started when Mr. Balasubramaniam demanded a clarification from the Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister, S. Karuppasamy, on utilisation of funds allotted for the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravida Housing Development Corporation. While the Congress leader was in the middle of his speech, the Speaker intervened and his microphone was switched off. Strongly protesting, Mr. Balasubramaniam charged that he had a suspicion that the microphones were under the control of the Intelligence police and were switched off whenever Opposition members were in the midst of their speeches. Stoutly denying the charge, the Chief Minister said the Congress leader had lost ``his balance'' and was making ``unfound and wild allegations''. Mr. Ponnaiyan also justified the action of the microphone operators, saying it was customary to switch off the microphones of the members whenever the Speaker was addressing them. Not satisfied with the explanation, Mr. Balasubramaniam, along with his party members, walked out.
THADCO money in bank
Earlier, during the discussion on demands for the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department, Jayakumar (Congress) alleged that though there was a substantial allocation to the State under the Special Central Assistance Fund, only a small percentage was being utilised for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Even the meagre fund allotted to the TAHDCO was transferred only at the fag-end of a financial year, making it difficult to spend the money. He cited an instance of Rs. 60 crores, belonging to the TAHDCO, having been deposited in a nationalised bank in March last. Refuting his charges, Mr. Ponnaiyan and Mr. Karuppasamy, said it was not proper to take into account the funds spent by the SC and ST department alone as other departments were also spending money for the welfare of SCs and STs. When Mr. Jayakumar insisted on a reply from the Minister on the need for depositing the TAHDCO money in the nationalised bank during fag-end of the financial year, a heated discussion ensued between Mr. Balasubramaniam and the Treasury Benches, culminating in the walkout. The Chief Minister later clarified that it had been the Government practice to keep a certain portion of funds sanctioned under the Special Central Assistance before releasing it to the TAHDCO. The AIADMK regime, after coming to power in 2000, decided to release the entire fund allotted under the SCA to the TAHDCO well before the end of a financial year so that the it could be utilised fully. On March 31, 2000, during the previous regime, funds to the tune of Rs 24.33 cores were not released to the TAHDCO and as on March 31, 2001, the amount not released was Rs. 17.91 crores. But in the last financial year the entire amount was released to the TAHDCO. A portion of the fund was kept as a deposit in a nationalised bank by the TAHDCO and it was only a temporary arrangement. Now steps were taken to release the funds to various districts to be utilised for SC and ST welfare schemes, the Chief Minister said.
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