The Hindu 04.10.2010
Adequate funds being provided to local bodies: Minister
Special Correspondent
| Inaugurates new Municipal building and park |
TIRUVARUR: The Tamil Nadu Government has been fulfilling the needs of people by providing the funds required by municipalities and panchayats, said K.Anbazhagan, Finance Minister, at Tiruvarur on Sunday.
He declared open the new building of the Tiruvarur Municipality constructed at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh and a park developed at a cost of Rs. eight lakh in the town. Mr. Anbazhagan said Tamil Nadu was the only State where adequate funds are being provided by the government to local bodies through which various schemes were being implemented.
Mr.Anbazhagan pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board was formed by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in 1971 to provide drinking water to people A sum of Rs 1,500 crores was being allotted to TWAD Board every year for taking up various drinking water schemes. The creation of the Slum Clearance Board had ensured that slums were replaced with concrete houses in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchi.
The government had now introduced Kalaignar's concrete housing scheme. The plan is to build 21 lakh houses in six years and this year alone, three lakh houses will be constructed in the State under this scheme, he said.
The State has grown in terms of population, requirements and development. In 1961, Rs.100 crores was allotted for the entire budget for Tamil Nadu. Now, Rs. 55,000 crores has been allotted.
Mr. Anbazhagan said the State had done well on the health front also. In a growing economy, price rise is inevitable and depended on demand and productivity. “We have to meet challenges like this,” he said.
The minister distributed benefits worth Rs 2.8 crores to 615 beneficiaries on the occasion.
The new Municipal building has been named after Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and the park at Thiruvalluvar Nagar has been named Perarignar Anna Centenary Park.
S.S. Palani Manickam, Union minister of State for Finance; State ministers Ko.Si. Mani, U. Mathivanan; A.K.S. Vijayan M.P.; M. Chandrasekaran, Collector; K. Thennan, chairman, Tiruvarur Municipality; R. Shankar, vice-chairman; and K. Saravanan, Municipal commissioner participated in the function.
