DMK government achieved in 4 years what the AIADMK could not in a decade: Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday said the DMK government had achieved more in the last four years than the AIADMK did in the 10 years between 2011 and 2021, when the party was in power.

Mr. Stalin, while answering questions under the Ungalil Oruvan (One Among You) initiative on Saturday, said in his video address that during his meetings with investors in Germany, a detailed presentation was made showcasing Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure development, the State’s talent pool, and initiatives in skill development. He said the investors appreciated the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu government, particularly in providing the highest employment opportunities for women in India. They also appreciated Tamil Nadu’s balanced approach, ensuring development across all districts and sectors.

“The focus on emerging sectors was also widely acknowledged. Investors across several fields have shown keen interest. The Dravidian model government wishes to take this forward to the next stage by implementing long-term strategies,” the Chief Minister said.

“In both Germany and London, I met many students from Tamil Nadu who said they had benefited from the State’s reservation policy. Many of them were first-generation graduates in their families, who had come abroad for studies and benefited from the scheme of tuition fee waiver for first-generation graduates introduced by Kalaignar (former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi),” he said.

Mr. Stalin said Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was a key indicator reflecting growth across sectors such as industry, employment generation, per capita income, quality of life, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and law and order.

“When the DMK came to power, the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, and the State was under severe financial distress. Despite the failure of the BJP government at the Centre to provide Tamil Nadu its due share of funds, we achieved an economic growth rate of 11.19%, which is double than that of the previous AIADMK government,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Stalin pointed out that during the AIADMK government’s tenure from 2011 to 2016, the average growth rate was 6.7%, which dropped to 5.2% between 2016 and 2021. In comparison, the DMK government has recorded an average growth rate of 8.9% over the past four years.

“The BJP government at the Centre is targeting the DMK because we oppose delimitation, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and demand the release of Samagra Shiksha funds and the Keeladi report. Anyone can speak against the BJP, but only the DMK has the experience, strength, and ideology to challenge it,” he added.