Karunanidhi calls Union budget 'people-oriented'

Chennai, Feb 28 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today described as ''people oriented,'' the Central budget presented by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

Reacting to the budgetary proposals for the year 2007-08, the Chief Minister congratulated Mr Chidambaram for presenting the budget, keeping in mind, the interest of all sections of the people in the country.

The budget has been prepared with a special focus on farmers and middle class people in the country, Mr Karunanidhi said adding that the farm loans to 50 lakh farmers to the tune of Rs 2,25,000 crore and the expansion of National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme from the current 200 to 330 districts are welcome features in the budget.

He said the 34 per cent budgetary support for Education, allocation of Rs 23,142 crore for school education, Rs 3,974 crore for higher education and the measures to arrest dropouts would be welcomed by the student community.

Commending the Finance Minister for announcing various measures to reduce the prices of essential commodities, Mr Karunanidhi said the allocation of Rs 4,000 crore for developing village roads would give a fillip to rural infrastructure.

The government's decision to create one lakh jobs for physically challenged people in the private sector with government subsidy would be welcomed by one and all, he said.

Mr Karunanidhi thanked the Finance Minister for sanctioning Rs 50 crore for the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University in Coimbatore.

UNI