The Hindu : Front Page : Neither State has lost after Cauvery award: Karunanidhi

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Monday, Feb 12, 2007
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Neither State has lost after Cauvery award: Karunanidhi

R.K.Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi told The Hindu in an interview that neither Tamil Nadu nor Karnataka has lost following the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

"As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal offers solace. I will be happy if the farmers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka accept this award. Because of the Tribunal order the quantum available to Karnataka has not decreased. Tamil Nadu's share has not increased much. If people of both the States think deeply on this, there could be a path to peace."

Answering another question, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said an out-of-court settlement was possible in the Mullaperiyar issue. If people of both the States, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, came forward to conduct themselves in a humane manner, it was possible to find an out-of-court solution, he asserted.

Mr. Karunanidhi told The Hindu that ever since he took office in May 2006 as Chief Minister for the fifth time, he has tried to make sure that the major electoral promises made by his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, were implemented. In line with the Government's principle of transparency, details of all welfare schemes have been compiled and these would soon be made available across the State and on the Internet. Mr. Karunanidhi added that he firmly believed that each one belonging to the weaker sections should benefit from one scheme or another.

The DMK Government had embarked on an ambitious scheme to increase the incomes of rural households, the Chief Minister noted. Apart having a detailed plan to make available potable drinking water in each hamlet in the State and embarking on a project to supply an LPG stove and connection free to each poor household, it was also targeting a huge increase in enrolling women in Self Help Groups. "It was with the aim of making women economically independent that the DMK Government introduced the concept of Self Help Groups... The DMK Government is functioning with the aim of enrolling one crore women members in the Self Help Groups," the Chief Minister added.

Asked about the recent agitation in Coimbatore over the testing of genetically modified crops and whether the Government has finalised its policy on contract farming and GM crops, Mr. Karunanidhi responded that any decision would be taken based on the welfare of farmers. Neither the DMK party nor the DMK government would do anything against farmers.

Asked whether Special Economic Zones were needed for India's development, Mr. Karunanidhi said SEZs were needed for the country's development "but if people are put to hardship during the development of SEZs, then the basic aim of creating such zones would be lost."

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