Date:17/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/17/stories/2008091751230300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Opposition parties asked not to ridicule ‘people-oriented’ policies

Staff Reporter

Speakers highlight government welfare schemes at function to launch rice scheme

Photo: M. Govarthan

This is for you: Minister for Highways and Ports M.P. Saminathan inaugurating the Re.1 a kg rice scheme at Erode on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S.Elangovan (right) and R. Inthumathi, Joint Registrar of Cooperatives, Erode, are in the picture. —

ANTHIYUR: State and Union Ministers highlighted government schemes while launching the State Government’s Re. 1 a kg rice scheme here on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Textile E.V.K.S. Elangovan said the Tamil Nadu Government by launching the Re. 1 a kg rice scheme had fulfilled the promises made not only in 2004 but also 1967.

It was in 1967 that the former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, in commemoration of whose birth centenary the scheme is launched, announced a measure of rice at Re. 1.

Mr. Elangovan said there could not be a more befitting tribute to the former Chief Minister than the Re. 1 a kg rice scheme.

Recalling the DMK’s poll-eve promise of free colour television ahead of the 2006 Assembly elections, Mr. Elangovan said by fulfilling the promise, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had proved wrong the opinions of economists and planners, who then felt that it was impossible to execute the promise.

The Union Minister asked the State Opposition parties not to ridicule such “people-oriented” policies and instead point out mistakes so that they could be corrected.

Stating that the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal would result in power generation in the country, he said that people who were opposed to it were “anti-people and anti-development.”

Mr. Elangovan then challenged the Left parties to win a parliamentary seat in the State without any other parties’ support.

State Minister for Highways and Ports M.P. Saminathan said the DMK Government was the only one in the country that fulfilled all its election promises and went even beyond that in implementing pro-poor policies.

He highlighted the farmers’ cooperative loan waiver, thrice-a-week egg in noon meal, assistance for pregnant women, and increased allotment for women under the marriage assistance scheme to say that the Government was for the people.

As part of the event, welfare assistance worth Rs. 18.91 lakh was given to 149 beneficiaries.

Members of Legislative Assembly S. S. Gurusamy, R.M. Palanichamy, and ‘Vidiyal’ S. Sekar, District Revenue Officer C. Manoharan, Joint Registrar of Cooperatives R. Indumathi and senior district officials participated in the event that had been organised.