CHENNAI: Quoting statistics on liquor procurement by TASMAC, Chief Minister Karunanidhi sought to prove that one particular distiller was preferred over the others in the past two years.

In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address, he said that while Mohan Breweries sold 54.33 lakh cases in 2003-04, this dropped to 35.47 lakh cases the next year and to 30.03 lakh cases in 2005-06. Siva distilleries sale to TASMAC dropped from 53 lakh cases (2003-04) to 40 lakh cases (2004-05). In 2005-06, it was 43.86 lakh cases. For Balaji Distilleries, the figures for the years from 2003-04 were 44.9 lakh cases, 45.72 lakh cases and 50.19 lakh cases. But the sale of Midas Golden distilleries rose from 12.85 lakh cases in 2003-04 to 28.68 lakh cases in 2004-05. In 2005-06, it was 51.04 lakh cases. The turnover of the company rose from Rs. 146 crore in 2003-04 to Rs. 400 crore 2004-05 and to Rs. 600 crore in 2005-06.

Economic growth

On the State's economic growth rate, he said the DMK's contention was that the average rate was lesser than the national rate . According to the Department of Economics and Statistics, Central Statistical Organisation, the average economic growth rate of the State during 2001-06 was 4.3 per cent, while the country's was 6.7 per cent. When the DMK was in power — between 1996 and 2001 — thegrowth rate was 6.3 per cent, while the national rate was 5.9 per cent.

Mr. Karunanidhi assured the House that the Government would make good the loss suffered by Primary Cooperative Banks after writing off farmers' loans. Provisions would be made in this year's budget and also in the coming years. The Government would talk to NABARD and work out a refinance scheme for the Cooperatives. All farmers would be given a certificate,saying that he/she did not have any loans as of 31 March 2006. Mr. Karunanidhi showed the House a copy of the certificate. Steps would be taken to ensure that delta area farmers got loans from cooperatives in time to begin farming operations.

On the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme for poor women, he said 33,333 women would benefit from the scheme this year after it was inaugurated on June 3.

There were 122 promises in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam manifesto. There were announcements on 68 so far. The remaining would be taken up in phases, he added.

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