CHENNAI: Pointing to the near three-fold growth of revenues between 1996-97 and the last financial year, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy leader in the Assembly, Durai Murugan, faulted the Government for constantly charging the previous government for all current shortcomings.

The revenue garnered in 1996-97 was Rs.11, 961 crore, while this was more than Rs.30, 252 crore now. Also, the Centre's grant to the State had grown more than twice and its loans too had shown a similar growth.

When this was the situation, there was no need for curtailing revenue expenditure by cutting down ruthlessly on salaries and wages of Government employees and imposing a ban on recruitment, he said. Revenue expenditure had gone down compared to the previous years, he added.

Comparing the current debt burden with that of the last year of the previous DMK government, Mr. Durai Murugan said this had grown significantly and was a cause for concern. He said that in 2000-01, it was Rs. 32,421 crore against Rs.61,815 crore in 2005-06. "You are leaving double of what we left behind," he said.

Mr. Durai Murugan said that many of the State Government's schemes were aided by the Centre, but faulted the State for not making these public.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa clarified that the total amount of debt was irrelevant. What mattered was the rate of interest on the debt.

When the DMK left, the rate of interest was alarmingly high, she said. Now it was low, at 14.27 per cent.

Making a comparison, she said interest rates during the DMK regime was like a person with very high fever. Now that person, State finances, was normal.

Ms. Jayalalithaa also clarified that the revenue expenditure has, in fact, risen over the years. Quoting statistics, she said that in 1996-97, it was Rs.13,065 crore; and in 2005-06 it was Rs.33, 264 crore. In 2006-07 this would be Rs.34,254 crore, she added.

Ms. Jayalalithaa refuted the claim that the cycle for students scheme had received Central help. The scheme was drawn up and implemented by the State Government.

Whatever aid, grant and loan came from the Centre was as per rules laid down by the Finance Commission, she added.

Backward Classes Minister S.M. Velusamy said the construction work for building hostels for students belonging to the Adi Dravida, Backward, Most Backward and Denotified Communities was unprecedented.

He said the DMK Government did not pay attention to the sector and that many hostels then did not even have basic facilities. In the past four-and-a-half years, the Government had paid serious attention towards improving basic facilities in all hostels, apart from increasing the amount given for providing food.

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