Elect Centre-friendly govt to help state growth: PC

Coimbatore, Apr 5: Union Home Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram today appealed to the electorate to install a Centre-friendly Government in the State, to ensure continuation of the welfare schemes and also formulation of new schemes for the benefit of the people.

Addressing an election meeting here, Chidambaram said people had returned the UPA government in the last Lok Sabha elections, based on its performance and welfare schemes.

UPA government had given people various constructive schemes such as Rural Employment Scheme, waiver of agricultural loan to the tune of over Rs 70,000 crore and also Right to Informatioin, and paved way for the tremendous growth of the country, he said.

Similarly, the DMK government, which has done a "commendable job" in its five-year reign, should be voted back to power to continue the welfare schemes and take Tamil Nadu further in the developmental path, Chidambaram said.

Stating that UPA government had allocated about Rs 97,000 crore to Tamil Nadu for various schemes so far, he said "without any doubt" the Congress-led government would continue to rule for another three years, which could help the State grow further.

Over Rs 3,000 crore was granted to Coimbatore City Corporation by the Centre under JNNURM, he said.

The Minister alleged that the AIADMK, which had ridiculed the manifesto of DMK in the last assembly elections, "had copied and released it" by adding some more.

PTI