M. Karunanidhi seeks status of last year’s schemes
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DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday slammed the AIADMK government’s budget for 2012-13 saying that it did not meet the expectations of the people.
“The budget failed on the front of addressing the price rise, creating new jobs and increasing the purchasing power of people,” he said.
In a statement issued here, he also questioned the status of various programmes announced in the previous budget by finance minister O. Panneerselvam, including a housing scheme, which replaced the one launched by the DMK government.
“The DMK government never imposed fresh taxes in its five-year tenure even as it maintained a good fiscal position, including state’s own tax resources,” he pointed out.
“Just because a government presents a deficit budget, it does not mean the financial position of the state is in bad shape. The budget presented by AIADMK government this year projected a fiscal deficit of Rs 19, 832.13 crore.
I don’t know whether state had faced a fiscal deficit to this extent in its history at all. Is it right to say state’s financial position has deteriorated in Jayalalithaa’s government? Will this government accept it?” he wondered.
The budget lacked measures regarding price control, creation of employment, power generation or increasing people’s purchasing power. “Its a budget that conceals many facts, misleads and imposes new taxes (to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore) and has failed to meet people’s expectations. It is only word-play and will these help raise people’s standard of living?” he asked.
The ruling AIADMK, which had transferred so many IAS officers after it assumed power, chose to retain finance secretary Shanmugam, which was proof of DMK’s good showing on the finance front, Karunanidhi said.
However, DMK’s ‘good show’ has been concealed and people have been misled about its performance as the finance minister blamed the previous government for alleged poor performance as regards finances, he said.
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