Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

People's election manifesto revelations

S.Ganesan

"Restructure State finance policy"

DOS AND DON'TS: State Convener of Campaign Against Child Labour N. Radha releasing the people's election manifesto in Tiruchi on Saturday. Social activist G.Nammazhvar is receiving it. DMDK candidate for Tiruchi-I constituency P. Uma looks on. — ; PHOTO: R. ASHOK.

TIRUCHI : The "people's election manifesto," brought out by a group of voluntary organisations, has called for restructuring of the State finance policy so as to check the increasing imbalance between plan and non-plan expenditure, rising revenue and fiscal deficit.

Nearly 74 per cent of the State budget, the manifesto said, went to non-plan expenditure. Of the total plan expenditure, only 6.67 per cent was spent on shelter, 3.5 per cent for education and 2.51 per cent for health, it claimed. Over the past several years, revenue and fiscal deficit had also been rising. The State should come out with a transparent financial policy in consultation with public organisations. Fiscal and administrative changes should be made to ensure openness, transparency and accountability in public administration, the manifesto said.

Participatory democracy should be the basis of the panchayat raj system in the State and gram sabhas should not remain mere platforms for receiving petitions. The State should also repeal Sec.205 of the TN Panchayats Act, which empowers district collectors to remove panchayat presidents. A uniform TN Urban Local Bodies Act, applicable to all Corporations, should be implemented. The rights of Dalits should be upheld by holding elections to the Keeripatti, Pappapatti, Nattarmangalam and Kottakachiyenandal panchayats.

It also called for steps to protect the unorganised sector workers and low-income groups from the impact of globalisation. Common property resources and common village resources should be protected from privatisation.

The manifesto, brought out jointly by the Tamil Nadu Alliance for Right to Education and Equity (TAFRE), Campaign for Equity and Equality in Tsunami Rehabilitation (CEETR) and Child Rights and You (CRY), also discusses in detail various other issues, including the rights of the labour class, Dalits, women and children and puts forward various demands. The document was released here on Saturday by N. Radha, State Convener of the Campaign Against Child Labour. Social activist and organic farming votary G. Nammazhvar received the document.

The document also called for the establishment of a Software Park in Tiruchi district to tap the huge human resource potential of the district. The district has seen little industrial development over the past 25 years despite being a district with a good literacy ratio.

It also demanded steps to check the pollution of rivers and other water resources in the district. A new bridge should be constructed across the Coleroon river in the city to replace the existing old bridge.

Referring to the frequent flooding of the residential colonies in the city, it pleaded for urgent steps to remove encroachments on watercourses. The unplanned growth of the city should be checked and integrated bus stand established.

The document also discussed specific issues in each of the nine constituencies in the district and put forward several locale-specific demands.

The State Secretary of the Federation of Unorganised Labourers, V. Maheswaran, the district convenor, Tamizhagan, and others spoke.

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