The ruling party was in a celebratory mood thumping the desk almost for two hours for every sentence uttered by finance minister O. Panneerselvam praising ‘Manbumigu Amma…’
The announcements apart, the results of the Sankarankoil by-election has made the treasury benches jubilant, as the party trounced the opposition parties, particularly the DMDK, after chief minister J. Jayalalithaa threw down the gauntlet.
“The chief minister created an unprecedented record by retrieving the state from the ‘abyss’ and placing it back on the path of prosperity and development within 10 months of assuming office,” Mr Panneerselvam asserted. “The Sankarankoil by-election gave us a massive victory.
Victory brings responsibility. It rests upon us to fulfil our promises and the aspirations of our people,” he said, adding that socio-economic development should be inclusive.
The government has fixed an ambitious target of Rs 2 lakh crore as outlay for the 12th five-year plan period, he said amid thumping of desks from the treasury benches. The 2012-13 is the first year of the 12th five-year plan.
“We had earlier fixed a target of Rs 1.85 lakh crore for plan schemes during the 12th five-year plan period, as against Rs 85,344 crore in the 11th Plan,” he said.