DMK Govt. in a dilemma

By M.R. Venkatesh

CHENNAI, DEC. 15. In what could spark off a political row between the ruling DMK in the State and the BJP leading the NDA, the Centre seems keen on displaying the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's portrait along with that of the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, on name boards detailing rural development schemes in the State.

The suggestion, it is learnt, was recently mooted by BJP's senior leader and Union Rural Development Minister, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, during a review meeting here, on the ground that the Centre should also get its due share of ``notice'' as substantial funds flow from it for various rural development programmes.

In some of the schemes like group housing for dalits, popularly called Indira Awas Yojana, the Central share is upto 75 per cent with the State Government meeting the rest. Even in ``State'' projects like `Samathuvapuram', part of the infrastructure component is met from Central funds.

Mr. Naidu's logic ran thus: in every village panchayat, the full list of the ongoing development works for the year should be displayed on a board, specifying how much of the cost is borne by the Centre and the State respectively. Then comes the rub. The board should have a portrait of Mr. Vajpayee on the one side and Mr. Karunanidhi on the other.

Though the Union Minister as a ``political executive'' had only made a ``friendly suggestion,'' the image promotion could turn out to be a source of irritation for the BJP's leading regional partner. Particularly, when the DMK Government has been placing maximum emphasis on schemes like Samathuvapuram.

However, the dilemma for the State Government is that even for projects like Samathuvapuram - with the targetted 150 to be completed by March 31, 2001, Mr. Karunanidhi's portrait is not displayed on the name boards. Now, to juxtapose him with Mr. Vajpayee, sources say, could also have a political underpinning even if the Centre's argument on funds is valid.

The idea itself is not new as even previous Governments at the Centre have tried to get political mileage in this regard. But if genuine decentralisation was the objective, then at least some of the major schemes such as family planning, poverty alleviation and watershed management, should be earmarked ``national schemes'' even while States and Local bodies pursue their respective schemes, partymen contend.

This could take development projects out of the purview of political populism, so that ``Centrally Sponsored Schemes'' (CSS) were not identified with the party in power, they argue.

Mr. Naidu, meanwhile, is understood to be convening a meeting of State Rural Development Ministers to sort out some of these issues. But for now, the absence of any guideline from the Centre on this issue has given a breather to the Tamil Nadu Government.

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Section  : Southern States
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