Karaikal: Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanaswamy on Sunday refuted AIADMK`s charge that the UPA government was meting out step-motherly treatment towards Tamil Nadu, saying all states are treated equally.
"The Union Government treats all states equally and is not biased towards any region," he told reporters here.
The AIADMK executive meet yesterday at Chennai had accused the UPA government of having "step-motherly attitude" towards the state and acting in ways affecting federalism.
The meet alleged that steps like Centre not consulting states on forming National Counter Terrorism Centre, "hampering" effective PDS in the state by trying to enact Food Security Bill, decontrol of sugar sector and increasing price of diesel being used for public transport amounted to "harming" federalism.
It "condemned" the Centre for its "stepmotherly attitude" towards Tamil Nadu on issues like not granting Digital Addressable System licence for state-run Arasu Cable TV, failing to pull up Sri Lanka for its navy`s attacks on Indian fishermen from the state and not heeding the demand for relief on account of damage caused by cyclones Thane and Nilam.
Referring to the recent arrest of 49 fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, Narayanaswamy said the Union Government had initiated talks with the Sri Lankan High Commission to secure their release.
"Foreign Minister Salman Kurshid has also taken steps to secure their release and we hope the Sri Lankan Government will cooperate," he said.
He said the Indian Navy and Coast Guard had stepped up patrolling near the International Maritime Boundary Line to prevent Indian fishermen being arrested by the Lankan Navy.
He also suggested that fishermen of the two countries initiate talks to find a permanent solution to the problem.
On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa`s persistent demand for retrieving Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka, he said the Prime Minister will take suitable action on the demand.
On developmental activities in Karaikal region,an enclave of Puducherry, he said he had sought ONGC`s help to set up a Rs 100 crore super-speciality hospital in Karaikal.
A Special Economic Zone would soon be set up at Karaikal, which would generate large-scale employment opportunities, he said.
The Surface Transport Ministry has completed a survey for four laning Villupuram-Karaikal-Nagapattinam stretch of the National Highway (NH 45A)and work would commence soon, he added.
PTI
