P. Chidambaram

NEW DELHI : Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday found himself defending in the Rajya Sabha the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's election promise of giving rice at Rs. 2 a kg in the Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu.While the Minister was replying to a question on the per capita burden of loans on the country, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said it was very well that the debt burden was "sustainable and not out of control," but how did the Minister justify distribution of rice at Rs. 2 a kg?

At first, Mr. Chidambaram said the question should be addressed to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.However, Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and several others said he had gone on record justifying the promiseand asked whether it was possible to implement it throughout the country.

"Mr. Chidambaram is not just an MP from Tamil Nadu, he is also the Finance Minister of the country. Why is it not possible to implement all over the country what has been given in Tamil Nadu," asked Ms. Karat.

Mr. Chidambaram said the Rs. 2-a-kg rice promise was in respect of Tamil Nadu, its felt needs and the capacity of the State Government to raise resources. "I just said it was feasible. The Centre's priorities were specified in the budget. They are: the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, mid-day meal, rural electrification, rural road schemes. States have different priorities. It is for them to prioritise according to felt needs."

Disagreeing with him, Ms. Karat said rice at Rs. 2 a kg was everybody's priority.

Loan burden

Earlier, replying to the query on per capita burden of loans, Mr. Chidambaram said the per capita burden of Consolidated General Government liabilities, both internal and external, of the Central and State Governments was Rs. 25,723 in 2005-06 in the budget estimates.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail