Speech of Thiru C. Ponnaiyan, Minister for Finance and Food, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for 2004-2005 to the Legislative Assembly on 11^th February 2004.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

I rise to present the Revised Estimates for 2003-2004 and the Budget Estimates of 2004-2005 with the blessings of my leader Hon’ble Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa, who, with great vision, grit, foresight and dynamism, has put Tamil Nadu back on the highroad to development and prosperity.

2. The people of Tamil Nadu voted the Hon’ble Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa back into office with a landslide victory in May 2001 in the fervent hope that their State will see a return to its erstwhile glory, all round development and prosperity. Today, their hopes and dreams stand fulfilled. Tamil Nadu has left behind its troubled past of the late-1990s characterized by a debilitating fiscal decline leading to a total development collapse. The Hon’ble Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa, has made a supreme effort to set right the Government’s finances with firm resolve, total dedication and absolute clarity in the face of extreme adversity. The results of this effort have been spectacular. Tamil Nadu has made a remarkable fiscal turnaround. The development agenda has been brought back to the centre stage. This has been achieved in a short span of less than three years. This is a remarkable achievement of this Government under the able and dynamic leadership of our leader, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa.

3. Hon’ble Members may recollect the seemingly intractable fiscal situation prevailing in May 2001. Failure of Monsoons for three years in succession leading to the drought in 2002-2003 made the fiscal adjustment process even more difficult. The Hon’ble Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa, like a true leader, led the State from darkness to light overcoming these crippling adversities.

4. The Hon’ble Chief Minister has always believed that ensuring real improvements to the quality of life of the people is the ultimate purpose of governance. The Chief Minister’s 15 point programme incorporates this vision and outlines the development goals of the State. These are being achieved through a comprehensive economic reforms programme consisting of fiscal reforms, improvements to the investment climate, good governance leading to better service delivery and reduction of poverty.

5. New growth momentum cannot be generated without an assurance of perfect maintenance of law and order. It is only due to the strong leadership and the personal attention to every aspect of law and order administration by our Hon’ble Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa, that the State is rightly hailed as a haven of peace and tranquillity. This has provided an excellent foundation enabling us to set right the financial position and restructure the economy.