Tamil Nadu

Empty assurances, says Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa has termed the budget a “display of empty announcements and assurances.”

In a statement here on Thursday, she said there was no worthwhile step to bring down the prices of essential commodities which, according to her, were skyrocketing. There was no mention about steps to be taken to improve the power position.

Farmers would be the most disappointed lot, as there were no announcement on relief to those affected by floods, power disruption and lack of remunerative price for their produce. There was no mention of steps to protect weavers and to waive bank loans taken by tsunami-affected fishermen, she added.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president M. Krishnasswamy said it was a welfare budget.

In a statement, he said reduction in the interest on crop loan from 5 to 4 per cent, allotment of Rs. 1,500 crore for new crop loans and waiver of loans taken by the Scheduled Castes from the TAHDCO would provide a major relief to farmers. He welcomed the decision to link State rivers and construct check dams across major canals. The Tamil Nadu Urban Road Development Programme would help to improve roads. He welcomed tax exemption for some medicines, bun, chilli, coriander, coconut milk, coconut milk powder and jaggery.

Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramadoss likened the budget to a curate’s egg. He cited the absence of new schemes to solve unemployment among the educated youth and eradicate poverty. Schemes that would ensure good future for to the youth were missing, he said. The revenue from sales tax was on the decrease, excise receipts, mostly from the sale of liquor, was increasing. This, he said, meant more people would resort to drinking. The government had failed to announce any step to re-introduce prohibition. There was no mention of restrictions on the entry of big companies in retail trade. However, he hailed the decision to grant more funds for agriculture, link rivers and construct check dams.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) secretary N. Varadarajan welcomed the allotment of more money for education and the move to start new engineering and medical colleges, and the proposals to give legal status to women’s commission, reduce interest on crop loans and increase food allowance for students.

He wanted the government to allot 30 per cent of its revenue to local bodies. He thanked the government for appointing a committee under the chairmanship of a High Court judge to decide on separate reservation for “Arundathiyars.” DK president K. Veeramani said the budget was a milestone in the development of the State.

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