Mere announcements and no action: Karunanidhi

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 2. The AIADMK Government's flurry of schemes announced after it assumed power nearly six months ago, has only ended up creating a lot of ``cracker-smoke,'' as no concrete action has been taken on any of these, the DMK president, Mr.M.Karunanidhi said today.

In an assessment of the Government and the manner of its functioning, Mr.Karunanidhi highlighted some of the popular schemes announced and pointed out that the Government's action did not match its promises. Many schemes merely stopped with the announcement.

Enumerating the schemes announced, he said though some political parties did not keep their promises, the AIADMK Government had gone a step further.

For instance, it announced an accelerated allotment scheme to ensure a roof over every family.

But, Mr.Karunanidhi said, he was not sure to what extent work on the scheme had progressed.

Though it was announced that all files would be cleared in 90 days, reports suggested that even in the Chief Minister's office, there was a pile-up.

Reminding the ruling party of a couple of other promises, Mr. Karunanidhi said an announcement on the setting up of a technical university and the promise of technical training to five lakh women were also made.

``How many women have so far been trained is not known.'' Similarly, action taken on many of the schemes announced by Ministers on the floor of the Assembly was not known.

The Government had said it would close down `Uzhavar Sandhais.' But in the wake of protest from farmers, it modified the decision to closing down only non-functional markets.

However, subsequently, the active subversion by the authorities led to the markets becoming non-functional, Mr. Karunanidhi charged.

Ms. Jayalalithaa (then Chief Minister) had announced in the Assembly that GO 44 (i) would be implemented for the welfare of backward classes.

But so far, there was been no order to that effect. (The GO provided for direct recruitment to clear the backlog in reserved vacancies.)

Recalling her demand early this year for his (Karunanidi's) and the Karnataka Chief Minister's resignation, following the inability of both the Governments to apprehend the forest brigand, Veerappan, he asked why the forest brigand was not captured after all the statements and efforts.

``But we will not ask for her resignation. Because we know what dignity means.''

Mr.Karunanidhi asked whether the Rs.690-crore rural drinking water scheme, bifurcation of Dharmapuri district, the Rs.700- crore new Veeranam scheme and the construction of a Rs.1,000- crore convention centre in the Chennai-Mahabalipuram route stopped with announcements.

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