Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday termed most of the suo motu announcements made under Rule 110 in the Legsilative Assembly by the AIADMK Chief Ministers in the past 10 years were against fiscal prudence and were more for publicity than for any real outcome.
Presenting a status of announcements made by the Chief Ministers from 2011-12 to 2020-21, Mr. Rajan said 1,704 announcements were made involving projects at an estimated cost ₹3.27 lakh crore.
“Out of this, 1,167 announcements have been implemented at a cost of ₹87,405 crore. Remaining 537 announcements, involving an estimated cost of ₹2.40 lakh crore, are pending. Only orders have been issued and work remains incomplete in respect of most of these pending announcements,” he said. “Out of 537 pending announcements, 26 announcements, at an estimated cost of ₹5,470 crore, have been made on the floor of the Legislative Assembly under Rule 110 without taking into account the feasibility of their implementation. These announcements have subsequently been dropped,” Mr. Rajan pointed out.
He said 19 out of these 26 dropped announcements were made between 2011-12 and 2016-17.
“Out of the 537 pending announcements, orders were not issued for 20 announcements involving an estimated cost of ₹9,741 crore. Orders or instructions have been issued in respect of 491 out of 537 pending announcements. However, funds were not released and work not started in respect of 143 announcements, though necessary orders were issued allocating ₹76,619 crore funds,” the Finance Minister said.
In respect of 511 pending announcements with an estimated cost ₹2,34,282 crore (excluding 26 dropped announcements), only ₹45,251 crore had been released, which amounts to 19% of the estimated cost.
“A total of 348 announcements with an estimated cost of ₹1,47,922 crore are pending for which orders/instructions have been issued but the required funds were not fully released,” he said.
