The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karunanidhi blames AIADMK for power shortage

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Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi blames AIADMK for power shortage

Special Correspondent

“No point in shedding crocodile tears now”

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said power projects had a gestation period and one should not be under the impression that a plant, announced in the morning, would become functional by evening.

Countering criticism that Tamil Nadu was reeling under darkness, Mr. Karunanidhi said had the earlier AIADMK government drawn up plans for power projects and executed them at the appropriate time, the State would not have faced the current situation. There was no point in shedding crocodile tears now, he told AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa.

When the projects that have been drawn up are completed, Tamil Nadu’s power needs will be fully met, he said.

There were many schemes to spur industrial growth, he said. This was the reason why 13 large industrial units had decided to set up base in the State and invest Rs.17,563 crore. Memoranda of Understanding had been signed with these firms, which would employ more than 1.41 lakh people directly or indirectly.

He refuted the contention that the government had not taken into consideration the needs of those who had discontinued schooling. This would be clear if one read the budget, he said, elaborating on the portions that dealt with the issue.

Mr. Karunanidhi said it was not correct to say that no preliminary study had been undertaken on river interlinking. Though three such projects were to be taken up, only two had been mentioned in the budget, because studies were complete only on them.

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