Monday, September 12 2005 16:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Joining issue with the Union Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran, Tamil Nadu IT Minister D Jayakumar today (Sept 12, 2005) charged him with making 'half baked and baseless statements' on the infrastructure in Chennai.

Maran, at a function here on Friday last, had stated that Bangalore had lost the race in IT because of Karnataka has not concentrated on developing infrastructure and said at least Tamil Nadu should wake up and take steps to ease traffic congestions in the city, which prevented migration of IT Industry in Chennai.

Jayakumar, in a statement, said the 'first time minister' Maran in a 'know all manner' started making 'doomsday' predictions on Chennai heading the Bangalore way since the infrastructure was not being attended to.

'He would do well to check his facts before making grand pronouncements', Jayakumar said adding that the IT industry was flourishing in Tamil Nadu because of the 'meticulous attention' paid by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in creating proper infrastructure and right ambience in Chennai.

Without bothering to check this, Maran had made unnecessary comments to gain publicity, Jayakumar charged.

He said the Chief Minister had launched the Chennai Metropolitan Development Plan with an outlay of Rs 18,000 crore in a ten-year time frame. 'Did the previous Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (DMK) Government ever think of such a comprehensive plan for Chennai.

The plan covered every aspect of infrastructure namely traffic, transportation, housing, electricity, water supply, sewerage and other miscellaneous items', he said.

Anybody visiting Chennai would be taken in by the amazing transformation of Chennai in so short time, he said.