Erode, Tamil Nadu – Annamalai, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s state president, has said that Erode does not look like a smart city despite receiving funding from the central government for 54 projects under the Smart Cities Mission.
Annamalai made the remarks while addressing a gathering in Surampatti, Erode, as part of his “My Land, My People” yatra. He said that the central government has provided ₹1,304 crore for the Smart Cities Mission in Erode, but only ₹214 crore worth of work has been completed so far.
Annamalai also criticized the Tamil Nadu government’s performance, saying that it has failed to fulfill its promises to the people. He pointed out that the government had promised to provide employment to 3.5 lakh educated youth in five years, but has not provided jobs to even 12,000 people so far. He also alleged that the state’s MPs have not done anything good for Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai’s remarks come at a time when the Tamil Nadu government is facing increasing criticism for its handling of the economy and other issues. The state has been witnessing high inflation and unemployment rates in recent months. The government has also been criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.