AIADMK Hails Godavari-Cauvery River Linking Project In Budget
Chennai, Feb 1: The AIADMK in Tamil Nadu today hailed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement in the budget promising to implement the long pending Godavari-Cauvery river inter-linking project.
In a statement here, Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami recalled the numerous requests made by him to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, personally and through several letters, on the need to implement this project.
Thanking PM Modi for giving life to this project in the budget, he also welcomed Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement allocating Rs. 44,000 crore for river linking projects in the budget.
He also welcomed her announcement that the Ganga-Godavari-Krishna- Cauvery-Pennar river linking projects has been finalised and that it would be launched after getting the views of the concerned states.
Palaniswami also said the budget also contained several welcome initiatives, including 9.2 per cent economic growth, allocation of Rs.1 lakh crore towards interest-free loan for states, setting a target of procurement 1000 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers and allocation of Rs. 2.70 lakh crore for this purpose, construction of 80 lakh houses in the current year under the PM’s Housing scheme, creation of 60 lakh new jobs, extending tax concessions for start-ups, plans to generate 280 KV solar power by 2030, fillip to indigenous defence production, conduct 5G auction this year and expansion of national highways to a distance of 25,000 km across the country.
Palaniswami, who is also the former Chief Minister, however, said non-announcement of Income-tax relief, which has seen no changes for the last nine years, has come as a big disappointment for the salaried class in government and private sectors. While urging the Centre to increase the Income-Tax ceiling, Palaniswami also sought revoking of tax hike imposed on umbrellas. On the whole, the budget will take the country on the path of development, he added.
