NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUNE 22
The main opposition AIADMK on Tuesday targeted the ruling DMK in the Assembly over its poll promises and rising prices of construction materials while the government said assurances would be fulfilled and action already taken to reduce prices.
Listing out several poll promises of the DMK, which assumed office last month, AIADMK’s Pollachi V Jayaraman said there was no reference about fulfilling them in the Governor’s Address to the House on Monday. The poll asurances he mentioned include increasing Old Age Pension to Rs 1,500 from Rs 1,000, waiver of loans taken by students and Rs 1,000 financial assistance to women family heads and a cut of Rs five and Rs four, respectively, in the prices of petrol and diesel.
Speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address, Jayaraman, former Deputy Speaker, said the government should spell out fulfilling promises in the upcoming budget session. He said that receipts/certificates on waiver of crop loans for farmers have not been distributed.
The price of construction material like cement and steel has increased and the cost of a bag of cement was now “Rs 550” from about Rs 350 previously, Jayaraman claimed. In February, the AIADMK government had rolled out the Rs 12,110 crore crop waiver scheme.
Intervening, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the price of construction materials saw an increase over a period of time and in March, during the AIADMK regime, the cost of a cement bag was Rs 470.
And when it touched about Rs 490, on the instructions of Chief Minister M K Stalin action has been taken to reduce prices and an interaction was held with representatives of industry, including cement and steel makers.
Due to the efforts, the price of cement was now Rs 460 a bag and similarly, prices of steel has also seen a reduction and industry representatives have been requested to further reduce it and they have also agreed, the Minister said.
Minister for Public Works E V Velu, responding to Jayaraman, used a Tamil proverb which roughly meant it was possible to dish out something only if there was availability. The debt burden passed on by the AIADMK government would be known soon and a white paper on the state’s fiscal position shall be released, he said. Against this background, Velu said the government has been implementing all welfare schemes, including those initated by the DMK and AIADMK regimes. This is in addition to fresh initiative of COVID-19 relief hamper distribution, which contains 14 essential commodities, including wheat flour and sugar, he said. All poll promises would be fulfilled in due course of time during the DMK’s tenure, he said.
Minister for Cooperation I Periyasamy said crop loan waiver receipts have been given to over 12,30,000 farmers out of the total about 16 lakh, adding, there was no bar on them from availing fresh loans.
