Denying Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s charge that the Centre is adopting a negative approach towards the needs of Tamil Nadu, Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan here on Saturday contended that the Centre was treating all States equally.
At a press conference, he said that the Centre was not adopting a step-motherly approach towards the State. All States were being treated equally and finances allotted proportionately.
The UPA, in its two terms, had sanctioned enough funds to carry out infrastructural and welfare schemes for the State and he could provide the statistics. “Centre’s contribution to Tamil Nadu’s growth can’t be disputed.”
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was being considerate towards the farmers of Tamil Nadu when he ordered release of the Cauvery water from Karnataka. The Centre was aware of the power deficit in Tamil Nadu and keen to get the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) (Units I and II) operational so that there could be some relief.
Asked if the Congress would press for the allocation of all the power from KKNPP to the State, Mr. Vasan said the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee had already made it very clear that it would fight for major portion of the generation. Congress Ministers and MPs from the State had repeatedly raised various issues concerning the welfare of Tamils with the Prime Minister and other Ministers to resolve them amicably.
The Centre follows procedures before taking any decision, he said, when asked about the Ministry of Environment and Forests asking the State Government to apply afresh for Environmental Clearance for the North Chennai Thermal Power Plant - Stage II.
On the latest developments in the 2G scam, Mr. Vasan said that recent reports had cast a doubt in the minds of people about the presumptive loss of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore. They felt that the Opposition could have had a hand in the CAG quantifying the loss to the exchequer. The truth would gradually come out.
