Jayalalithaa govt scraps DMK's housing, insurance projects

Reversing the DMK regime's pet projects, the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu today scrapped housing and insurance schemes named after M Karunanidhi and announced a probe into alleged irregularities in the construction of new assembly-cum-secretariat complex.

Apparently targeting the Maran brothers, who own a media empire, the government also said it would nationalise the multi-crore rupees cable TV business, over which they have near monopoly, and revive state-run Arasu Cable TV Corporation to manage the industry.

The announcements came in governor SS Barnala's customary address to the new assembly on a day when the DMK patriarch celebrated his 88th birthday albeit on a low-key with his daughter Kanimozhi in jail in the 2G scam case and the party still smarting under the assembly poll rout.

Outlining policies of the new government, Barnala said an inquiry commission headed by a former high court judge will probe allegations of "excess and wasteful expenditure and deficiency in the standards of new decretariat building" besides 'inordinate' delay. The new complex is being built at a cost of Rs1,000 crore.

The government would continue to function from the 17th century Fort St George, he said, adding construction activties at the new complex would be stopped to facilitate the inquiry.

Putting up a brave face, DMK legislature party leader MK Stalin said the party was prepared to face the inquiry.