Stalin’s inept, corrupt administration has augmented debt even after State revenue goes up through hiked taxes, says EPS

While Tamil Nadu’s overall revenue has gone up due to unprecedented hike in taxes, the State’s borrowings, which should have actually come down, has crossed ₹10 lakh crore, thanks to the corrupt ‘photo-shoot model’ administration by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said.

Canvassing votes for AIADMK, AMMK and BJP candidates in the district on Sunday, Mr. Palaniswami said the AIADMK, despite drought, cyclones and COVID-19 pandemic, which seriously affected the State’s income, had given able governance and kept inflation under control. Now, Tamil Nadu’s revenue had been augmented with hike in property tax, drinking water tax, power tariff, garbage tax, stamp duty, etc. But, instead of bringing down the State’s outstanding, the borrowing had gone beyond ₹10 lakh crore as “rampant corruption and commission” had pervaded all departments.

While the AIADMK, which was founded with the prime objective of serving the poor, was working towards people’s upliftment, the DMK government was working for one family to amass wealth. Even after the Madras High Court directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to register a case against the Municipal Administration Minister for corruption in his department, no case was registered.

The Madurai Corporation was involved in tax collection scam to the tune of ₹200 crore, and the Mayor’s husband was arrested in this connection. Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Coimbtore and Kancheepuram Corporations were mired in corruption charges, and Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts were witnessing rampant illegal mining.

“We will constitute comprehensive probes to unearth all the corruption charges after coming to power,” Mr. Palaniswami said.

He also promised to crush ganja smuggling and peddling, which was ‘the prime reason for the worst law and order situation in Tamil Nadu,’ within three months of returning to power.

Commenting on the DMK’s poll manifesto, he said the DMK, which had implemented only 25% of its 525 promises made in 2021, had given 517 fresh promises for the coming election. “In 2021, the DMK promised cooking gas subsidy, slash in fuel price, education loan waiver, NEET waiver and revival of old pension scheme for teachers and government employees. None of these promises was fulfilled due to corruption and scams of this government. Now, they are giving new promises, but the people will not buy them.”

The former Chief Minister listed the prices of essential commodities during AIADMK rule and now and said Mr. Stalin’s ‘inefficient’ governance had only resulted in unprecedented inflation in prices of foodgrains, cooking oil, dal, and construction materials, which had caused job loss to several lakh workers.

“However, Mr. Stalin, who is going for morning walk with the Minister for Public Health [Ma. Subramanian], anxiously asks the Minister about the box office collection of his son’s film instead of worrying about inflation and job loss. He is conducting photo shoots and spending ₹4 crore a day on advertisements to show off,” Mr. Palaniswami added.