Budget leads Tamil Nadu to a destructive path: Jayalalithaa

Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Supremo Ms J Jayalalithaa has said that the budget presented by the DMK government for the year 2010-2011 would lead the state to a destructive path.

Reacting to the Budget presented by the Finance Minister K Anbazhagan on Friday in the new assembly complex, Ms Jayalalithaa said in a statement that the budget has not addressed current issues like increase in prices of essential commodities, power cut and unemployment problem. This will lead the state to a destructive path, she said.

Though the budget had given priority to implement new power generation schemes, Tamil Nadu continues to face severe power cuts, affecting a large number of industries, she added.

Ms Jayalalithaa further said the Budget for had been prepared with an eye on the coming Assembly elections, with only fancy schemes to seek publicity.

Reacting to the proposals, Ms Jayalalithaa said the Budget, instead of finding means to contain price rise, address the power crisis and unemployment, was taking the state to the 'threshold of death'.

Though it said power projects had been given priority, the state was facing a severe power crisis during the last four years, crippling industrial development and affecting farm production, she said.

Expressing concern over the growing deficit, she said the revenue deficit, which was Rs 1024.34 crore in the year 2009-2010, has gone up to Rs 3396.45 crore in the year 2010-11.

Pointing out that there was a shortage of revenue to the tune of Rs 5000 crore till September 30, Ms Jayalalithaa said the total revenue was Rs 24,432.15 crore, instead of Rs 29,135 crore.

If this situation continued, the deficit would further grow, she pointed out.

AIADMK and MDMK Staged walkout in the Assembly

Members of the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its ally, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) staged a walk out from the Tamil Nadu assembly, just before the presentation of the budget.

When Finance Minister K Anbazhagan rose to present the budget, after the House met at 0930 hrs, members of AIADMK, rushed to the Well of the House and raised slogans, accusing the DMK government of failing to respect the leader of the Opposition J Jayalalithaa.

Led by Former Chief Minister and Deputy Leader of the Opposition O Panneerselvam, the members, clad in black, rushed to the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government for ''failing on all fronts''.

They alleged that the DMK government had shown disrespect to their leader by not properly inviting her for the inauguration of the new assembly complex on March 13 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The AIADMK members, with the MDMK members joining them, also charged the government with failing to contain the rise in prices of all commodities and maintain law and order.

As they continued to shout slogans at the Well of the House, disrupting the budget presentation, Speaker R Avudaiappan said that the members could leave the House, if they intend to create trouble. Later, they staged a walkout followed by members of MDMK.

Later, talking to newspersons, the Speaker denied AIADMK members' charge that Ms Jayalalithaa was not given due respect and said government had invited her to attend the inaugural ceremony of the new assembly. 'Public Secretary Mr Deva Jothi Jegarajan personally went to the opposition party leaders resident and poes guarden and delivered the invitation', Speaker claimed.

The two Dissident AIADMK MLA's Kovilpatti Radhakrishnan and Jayamkondam Rajendran did not participated in the walkout, they remained in the house till finance minister concluded his budget speech.

- Asian Tribune -