TN minister hits back at Karuna over growth rate

Joining issue with DMK President M Karunanidhi over the growth rate of Tamil Nadu, ruling AIADMK today reminded him that even the goverment led by him had faced the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2008-09.
Industries Minister P Thangamani informed the Assembly that the growth rate of the state in 2005-06 was 13.96 per cent during the then AIADMK Government, but dipped to 5.49 per cent in 2008-09 when Karunanidhi was at the helm of affairs.
His response comes in the wake of Karunanidhi's criticism last week that the growth rate of Tamil Nadu was 13.12 per cent in 2010-11 when his party was in power while it had dipped to 4.14 per cent in 2012-13 during AIADMK rule.

While presenting the budget for 2014-15, Finance Minister O Panneerselvam had said that overall economic slowdown had impacted his state also but expressed confidence that the growth rate would be in excess of five per cent.
Earlier, while intervening CPI member M Arumugam who raised the issue of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah inviting business houses to invest in his state during a conclave at Coimbatore, Thangamani assured no investor would leave Tamil Nadu.
"Based on some Expression of Interest, they said that Tamil Nadu entrepreneurs were willing to set up business (in Chamrajnagar in Karnataka). There are no details on how much business had been proposed but many (state) industrialists have said they are not investing there," Thangamani said.

The Minister had earlier accused Siddaramiah of trying to enact a 'drama' to retain his post ahead of elections by holding the Coimbatore business conclave.