Thangam Thennarasu blames Centre for no Pongal cash dole

CHENNAI: Squarely blaming the Union Government for the State’s difficult financial situation, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Thursday informed the House that the TN government is unable to disburse Rs 1,000 along with the Pongal gift hamper for ration card holders this festive season owing to the step-motherly treatment of the BJP-ruled Centre.

He claimed that the BJP-led Union government is withholding the State’s rightful share of funds and cited it as the primary reason for these financial constraints.

The State is facing financial issues as the Union government has refrained from releasing funds to the State, said the minister while responding to CPI legislator K Marimuthu’s demand to disburse financial aid along with Pongal gift hampers to the ration card holders in the State to celebrate the harvest festival.

The latter made the demand during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s speech.

Responding to the demand, the Finance Minister said that the State government’s Rs 37,818 crore aid request for flood and cyclone relief efforts hasn’t been met entirely by the Centre.

The Union Government only granted a mere Rs 276 crore, and that too was from the State Disaster Relief Fund, Thangam Thennarasu informed the House.

Apart from this, he said the Union Government failed to release Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds to the tune of Rs 2,151.59 crore for the State.

In light of these financial limitations, the State had to use available resources to address flood relief works and spent Rs 2,028 crore from its pocket, thereby straining the finances, he said.

He said The government could not disburse cash along with the Pongal gift hamper this year because of such constraints.