Vision 2023 will transform TN, says Jaya

CHENNAI: Taking exception to DMK president M Karunanidhi’s description of Vision 2023 as an utopian dream, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said the Vision 2023 was indeed a definite, feasible initiative based on concrete homework.“It is my ambitious initiative, based on achievable goals. It is a success initiative aimed at the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” thundered Jayalalithaa. Vision 2023 aimed at bringing a big socio-economic transformation in Tamil Nadu and also at fulfilling infrastructure schemes required for the expeditious economic growth of the State.Stating that the Tamil Nadu Vision 2023 document was prepared after analysing all feasibilities, she said the document comprised three parts. The first part was released by her on March 22 and the second part would be released by the end of May and the third part would be released soon.While the second part would be a compilation of project profile with information on the investments to be made in several departments, financial resources for the same and methodology for implementing the schemes, third part would be the road map for implementing the long-term initiative.Jayalalithaa said the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board, headed by her, would be examining the schemes to be specified in the second  part and prioritise and implement the schemes.  The Board would approve each and every scheme after analysing them and by alloting the financial resources for the same.The Vision 2023 begins in 2011-12 and concludes in 2022-23.  During these 11 years,  the total estimated investment to be made would be Rs 15 lakh crore.  In 2011-12, the total investment would be `25,393 crore and in the next year, it would go up to `41,670 crore and in 2022, the investment would be `2,37,690 crore.  As per the vision document, 60 per cent of the funds for the schemes to be implemented would be provided by the State government. However, since many of these schemes would be implemented with private partnership through annuity method, the expenditure for government would be less.Stating that garnering fiscal resources for implementing this long-term initiative would be feasible, Jayalalithaa said the allocation for capital investment would go up every year and during the next 10 years, around `6 lakh crore would be spent on capital investment only.  Besides, the Vision documents clearly states the methodology for financial resources.