TN budget lacks vision, schemes for growth, says DMK chief

The Opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu on Friday drew parallels between the lengthy budget addresses

by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and state deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to allege that the ruling

AIADMK was "following" the Central government. Other opposition parties, including TTV Dhinakaran's

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, criticised the ruling AIADMK's budget, saying it lacked growth-oriented schemes among others.

AIADMK allies PMK and DMDK welcomed the budget. Panneerselvam, who also holds the Finance portfolio,

presented the incumbent AIADMK government's last full-fledged budget on Friday as the state goes to polls next year.

His budget address, considered one of the lengthiest, went on for about 3 hours and 15 minutes.

DMK president M K Stalin, whose party has been charging the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu with 'towing' the Central

government line on various issues including the amended Citizenship Act, lashed out at the budget proposals, saying it

lacked both vision and schemes for growth. Referring to Sitharaman's budget address on February

1, Stalin said while it went on for about 159 minutes, that of Panneerselvam stretched for almost 196 minutes.

"This itself is an example that this regime is following the Central BJP government," he told reporters in

his first post-budget reaction. Responding to the budget, Panneerselvam's tenth since

the AIADMK came to power in 2011, Stalin said it was a "deficit" one for all.

"It is deficit budget. There is nothing adequate (initiatives) for anyone," he said, indicating it had little

provisions for all-round benefit. The fiscal and revenue deficit, besides debts, were

only increasing and this was burdening the common man, the state Leader of Opposition said.

"This budget lacks both vision and schemes for growth," Stalin added.

DMDK founder Vijayakant lauded the significant allocation to various sectors, including energy, but said

there were no announcements on new industrialisation drives in the districts which is "slightly disappointing."

PMK founder S Ramadoss welcomed the budget, saying it focused on farming and industrial growth.

However, there were no ways proposed for additional revenue generation, especially in the backdrop of the debt

burden, Ramadoss said. State Congress chief KS Alagiri said the budget has

"no innovative announcements." AMMK leader Dhinakaran, also an independent legislator,

described the budget as "a painting drawn in the air," since it had no innovative announcements.

He also expressed concern over the increasing debts and said there were no proposals to address the issue.

Meanwhile, on chief minister K Palaniswami's recent announcement that the Cauvery delta districts, including the

rice bowl of Thanjavur, would be categorised as a protected agriculture zone, Stalin wondered if the state government can

implement it on its own. Referring to reports that Palaniswami had sent a

letter to the Centre through his cabinet colleague D Jayakumar in this connection, Stalin demanded the contents of the

communication be made public by Friday. "Else, I myself will release the letter," the DMK

chief added. However, his party concurred with the ruling AIADMK on

according the said categorisation to the Cauvery delta districts, he said.