In a letter to the Union Minister for Rural Development,Drinking water and Sanitation,Jairam Ramesh,Ms Jayalalithaa recalled the letter written by the minister dated 4th July, 2012,   regarding the release of funds under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) during the year 2012-13.  

In this connection, she said she would like to point out that the closing balance of funds under the NRDWP for Tamil Nadu was 243.86 crores rupees as on 31.3.2012. 

Of this amount, Tamil Nadu received 58.33 crores rupees on 3.3.2012 as an incentive fund for good performance based on Management Devolution Index, she said.

Further,the Chief Minister pointed out , that an additional allocation of 98.20 crores rupees was received on 4.4.2012 based on Tamil Nadu’s good performance and considering the fact that the State had utilised more than 60% of the available funds under the NRDWP.

She also recalled the Union Minister's letter about this on 29.3.2012. 

In addition, a further sum of 12.24 crores rupees was received under the NRDWP Calamity Fund on 4.4.2012, she said. 

Therefore, a total sum of 168.77 crores rupees was received by Tamil Nadu in the months of March and April, 2012, the chief minister pointed out. 

In her letter the Chief Minister mentioned that for the period from 1st April, 2012, to date, the State had spent a sum of 87.45 crores rupees under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme. 

She pointed out that the central Ministry's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) also showed the expenditure of Tamil Nadu as 50.71 crores rupees as on 30th June, 2012.  

She recalled that Tamil Nadu also came in for high praise during the Conference of State Ministers and State Secretaries on 24th and 25th May, 2012, which was chaired by Jairam Ramesh.d. 

The Chief Minister also pointed out that, in fact,the Union minister himself had commended the Tamil Nadu model in accounting and auditing for emulation by other States. 

In the meeting the Union Minister had also pointed out that States should not be held responsible for NRDWP Funds released at the fag end of the earlier financial year, resulting in higher Opening Balance and directed that the first instalment should be released to all eligible States by 5th June, 2012, observed Ms Jayalalithaa. 

While the Tamilnadu State Government was expecting an early release of funds based on the assurance given by Jairam Ramesh in the Conference, his letter of  4th July, 2012, had come as a rude shock, she said. 

This is more so in the context wherein for some other States which had a higher opening balance than Tamil Nadu and whose expenditure level was almost on par with Tamil Nadu as per the Union Minister's own IMIS report, a substantial amount of money had been released during 2012-13 as well, she pointed out. 

Such differential treatment and discrimination against Tamil Nadu leads the Chief Minister to wonder whether the release of funds was being done on a purely objective basis. 
Against this background, given the fairly high level of expenditure incurred by Tamil Nadu till date, the Chief Minister requested the centre to ensure that Tamil Nadu’s first instalment of 138.58 crores rupees was released without any further delay.