Without showing any step-motherly treatment to Tamil Nadu, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had allocated huge funds to the State for various central schemes, Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan said on Wednesday.
The Central government had laid primacy on development of villages and tailor-made schemes aimed at improving basic facilities in rural areas, Mr.Vasan said addressing a series of election meetings in interior villages falling under the Perambalur Parliamentary constituency.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was one among the many schemes initiated by the Congress aimed at the economic development of the rural masses.
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Describing the rural employment scheme as a boon for the villagers as it guaranteed them employment for 100 days, Mr. Vasan said the Centre had increased the per day wage under the scheme to Rs.168. Campaigning in support of the Congress candidate for Perambalur constituency M.Rajasekaran, Mr.Vasan claimed that the rural employment guarantee scheme would be withdrawn if the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power.
Mr. Vasan alleged that the “wrong approach” of the AIADMK government had resulted in power cuts and acute shortage of drinking water in the State. Taking a swipe at the DMK and the AIADMK, Mr. Vasan said the two parties had opened liquor outlets across the State. Stating that the Congress alone could provide a stable government and ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the citizens, Mr. Vasan appealed to the electorate to give it another chance for the continuance of the welfare schemes which the party had initiated. Mr. Vasan campaigned at R.T. Malai, Kaavalkaranpatti, Keezhaveliyur and Thogamalai.