The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karunanidhi rebuts Ramadoss’ charges

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Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi rebuts Ramadoss’ charges

Special Correspondent

Comes out with five-page statement on industrialisation

M. Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday gave a point-by-point rebuttal to Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss on the issue of industrialisation.

In a five-page statement that also dealt with Chennai airport expansion, the Chief Minister wondered “how it would be appropriate to say that the youth should be provided employment when one kept on questioning the decision to set up two special economic zones in Chennai and the permission given to Tatas, Kishores and Guhas to establish industrial units.”

The State government, he stressed, was relentlessly working for generating jobs for the youth and clearing industrial projects favourable to the State.

On Dr. Ramadoss’ demand for allowing the establishment of industrial units in most backward districts, Mr. Karunanidhi said the government too wanted to follow such a path. Years ago, a SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu) complex was set up at Hosur, a backward area. It was because Nanguneri was a backward area that Murasoli Maran had made efforts for setting up a special economic zone there. “If permission is not given to allow industries near Chennai, promoters will prefer Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka. These States are ready to welcome industrialists with many more concessions,” he said.

When Tatas wanted to set up a titanium project in Tuticorin district, did not Dr. Ramadoss organise an agitation in a hurried manner and say that not even a cent of land would be given? Did he not realise then that Tuticorin was a backward area? Did he not oppose the announcement of the creation of a special economic zone in Hosur, Mr Karunanidhi asked.

While the government was taking steps for the setting up of industrial units in most backward districts, some investors, accepting the government’s approach, wanted to start units in other districts too, the Chief Minister said. Functions to lay foundation stones for information technology parks were held in Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Salem, Tirunelveli and Vellore. Mr. Karunanidhi said as far as his administration was concerned, it had been giving approvals, in an impartial way, to all those who wanted to set up units in the State and provide employment opportunities to Tamils. “Instead of analysing who is the promoter, we go by the nature of industrial units and examine as to how many will get employment.”

On the demand of Dr. Ramadoss that a White Paper on SEZs be placed in the current session of the Assembly, the Chief Minister replied that each time a memorandum of understanding was signed, it was done only after ascertaining the number of persons to be given jobs and insisting that such persons should be Tamils living in and around the zones. There might be a variation in the number of beneficiaries. As industrial expansion progressed, the number might go up. Of the 13 MoUs signed, six companies had begun their production while six others had started the construction of buildings. On the industrial front, the direct and indirect employment had been generated for 37,499 persons so far. As regards the IT sector, 1,26,610 persons had got jobs after the DMK came to power.

Citing the case of Nokia, Mr. Karunanidhi said the company was operating 80 buses to transport its employees to the work place. From this, one could gauge how many jobs had been generated.

Airport expansion issue

On the Chennai airport expansion issue, the Chief Minister recounted various statements issued by the PMK leader in January, March and April last year. Though Dr. Ramadoss had favoured the necessity of the expansion project, did he not oppose land acquisition? Did he not go to the areas that would be affected by the expansion project and interact with residents there in January last year? Did he not issue a statement in March that year, asking how the expansion could be justified if it involved demolition of slums and tiled houses?

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