Tamil Nadu Chief Minister lauds Centre for boosting investor confidence

Lauding Centre for its efforts to boost investor confidence, Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam on Friday said the NDA government 'has to continue its thrust on private investments besides focusing on public investments' and hoped to see steps in this regard in the Union Budget 2015-16. 

The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts taken by the Central Government to instill confidence in both domestic and foreign investors and to attract investments to propel economic growth.

"However, looking at the mid-term economic analysis 2014-2015, the Central Government has to continue its thrust on private investments, besides focusing on public investments in order to kick start the economic cycle. I hope this Government will be able to signal this in the Budget 2015-2016," he said.

In his address at the pre-buget meeting of states convened by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Panneerselvam presented his state's case on a number of issues including drinking water schemes. He sought Centre's approval and funding support in the forthcoming budget for Rs 1371.86 crore sea water desalination plant with a capacity of 150 MLD (million litres a day) to address Chennai's drinking water needs. Originally conceived by the Vajpayee-led NDA government, river inter-linking was given a 'new lease of life' in the Budget 2014-15, he said.

He hoped that Centre will take this forward by giving due priority to the peninsular river linkage project with adequate budgetary support. "The project for linking Cauvery, Vaigai and Gundar rivers at a cost of Rs 5,166 crores is pending for the Central Government's approval. We look forward to its inclusion in the 2015-2016 Union Budget," Panneerselvam, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said.