Finance Ministry defends monitoring of drought relief funds

The Union Finance Ministry asserts its right to ensure proper use of funds allocated for drought relief before issuing new allotments. This stance has drawn criticism from Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi. Sources indicate that the Finance Ministry believes the situation could have been handled better. They note that the remarks made by Finance Minister C. Subramaniam were not aimed solely at Tamil Nadu. The term "monitoring" of drought relief spending has particularly upset the Tamil Nadu government, as it suggests issues of corruption and mismanagement at the state level.