Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday hit out at Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami for his criticism of the state’s fiscal situation, and said it was the latter’s AIADMK that made Tamil Nadu a revenue-deficit state a decade ago.Despite various difficulties, the ruling DMK was taking the state on the path of development, while implementing various welfare initiatives, the CM said at an official event here.
Stalin’s sharp response to Palaniswami came a day after the AIADMK chief targeted the DMK dispensation over the state’s fiscal condition, claiming Tamil Nadu’s increasing debt-to-GDP ratio seemed to be the ruling party’s achievement.
Tamil Nadu has emerged as a state with the highest debt since the DMK came to power about four years ago, despite their assurance to restore the economy, the former CM had said.
Hitting back, Stalin said Tamil Nadu was a “revenue-surplus” state in 2011, when the DMK demitted office before the AIADMK ruled the state for a decade.
“It was the AIADMK government that made Tamil Nadu, which was a revenue-surplus state in 2011, a revenue-deficit one in 2013. They made Tamil Nadu struggle as the state with highest revenue-deficit during 2017-19. We have rescued Tamil Nadu from this piquant situation,” he said.
Stalin alleged the Centre was non-cooperative to Tamil Nadu vis-à-vis fund allocation but despite such challenges, the state was progressing well.
The BJP-led Central dispensation “viewed us not as Tamil Nadu government, but as ideological rivals and blocked projects,” Stalin charged.
Despite that, Tamil Nadu was growing and the government was “executing Central projects from state funds,” he added.
Stalin, the ruling DMK president, said that of the 505 election promises made by his party ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, “we have implemented 389 and only 116 are left to be executed.”
He challenged Palaniswami to reveal if the various assurances made by the AIADMK in 2011 and 2016, such as Coastal Road from Chennai to Kanniyakumari, cellphones for rationcard holders, free bus pass for persons aged over 58 years, Aeropark in south Tamil Nadu, free wi-fi in public places among others had been implemented.
“Those who made such empty promises are now creating rumours” about the state’s fiscal situation, he charged.
With the DMK delivering on its promises, it was for sure the party will continue to rule Tamil Nadu, Stalin said in an apparent reference to the next general elections, due in 2026.
On the occasion, he announced various projects for Sivaganga district, including a bypass at an estimated Rs 50 crore.
Stalin inaugurated Rs 51.37 crore worth completed projects such as Anganwadi buildings and school classrooms, besides laying the foundation stone for initiatives to be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 164 crore, an official release said.
Earlier, the CM inspected the Sri Lankan Tamils Rehabilitation Camp at Okkur in the district. He spoke to the residents there and enquired about the facilities available there and their other requirements.