Planning Commission approved Tamil Nadu's Rs 37,128 crore annual plan expenditure for the current fiscal at Rs 37,128 crore. This is a hike of 32.8 per cent over 2012-13 outlay. The outlay was finalised at a meeting between Commission's Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
During the meeting, the Commission pointed out that state's economy or Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) decelerated from 7.3 per cent in 2011-12 to 4.6 per cent in 2012-13, which was lower than national average of 5 per cent.
The Chief Minister, however, availed the opportunity to take a dig at the panel. Continuing her opposition the Centre's Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme, she said while her government was not opposed to the scheme per se, the objections were based on "sound grounds."
Firstly, her government was "strongly opposed" to any move to monetise and transfer in cash the subsidy element of foodgrains and kerosene under the Public Distribution System and supply of fertilisers and other inputs to farmers. Not just the quantum of subsidy but the access to and timely availability of commodities were the main concerns, she said, adding food and energy security cannot be compromised.