The Hindu Business Line : TN hikes DA for staff to 71 pc

A HIKE in Dearness Allowance to State Government employees and a new system for admission to the professional undergraduate courses were among the announcements in the Governor's Address in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today.

The Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, in his customary address to the Assembly, said the Government has hiked the Dearness Allowance for its employees and pensioners to 71 per cent, from 67 per cent, with effect from January 1, 2006.

Professional college admissions: The State would bring in a new system for admissions to the professional undergraduate courses. The Plus-Two marks in the State Board examination would be the basic platform. Students of all other Boards would take a common entrance exam to bring them on a comparable basis with the State Board Plus Two marks. The Government would enact appropriate legislations to introduce these changes, he said.

Software exports up: Software exports have tripled to Rs 10,730 crore in 2004-05, representing a growth of 40 per cent over that of the previous year. Independent analysts have judged the State a leader in e-readiness. In 2004-05 over 400 companies - at least one company a day - set up base in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, which faced a revenue gap of Rs 5,000 crore in 2001, has been restored to health. It has supplied quality power since 2001 despite a 14 per cent reduction in coal linkage to the State's thermal power stations by the Union Government in 2005.

New power projects: The State Government had taken steps to set up new generation capacities during 2005-10. Projects for about 4,000 MW have been initiated. In addition, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation is to set up a 1,000 MW plant at Jayankondam.

The State's food subsidy bill is now Rs 1,500 crore with over 1.88 crore ration cards to access the Public Distribution System. The subsidy includes the Rs 300 crore added by the Centre's decision to hike the issue price of rice for those above the poverty line to Rs 9.15 a kg from Rs 8.30. The Centre has also brought down the allotment of rice per card. Subsidised rice: But the State Government will continue to subsidise rice over the public distribution system with the price at Rs 3.50 a kg.

The State Government is to submit a Rs 3,900 crore project for `irrigated agriculture modernisation and water resources management project' to the World Bank. The project is at an advanced stage of preparation.

In Chennai, the Government will implement a monorail system over 300 km of high-density traffic corridors in the Chennai Metropolitan Area as part of traffic management.

The 100 million litres a day desalination project would be built. This House urges the Union Government to accord immediate environment clearance to the project, he said.