Coimbatore: Breaking his silence over the series of income tax searches on contracting firms closely associated with him, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami played down the raids saying it was a routine procedure to ensure tax compliance.EPS, who spoke to reporters at the city airport on Wednesday evening, said there was neither any irregularity in procurement of eggs for the noon meal scheme nor favouritism in road projects.Evading a direct reply when asked whether he felt the raids were politically motivated, EPS said the road laying projects and egg supplying contracts were awarded by the state government as per norms. “The income tax department is just a government body. Earlier, the state government used to conduct such raids if there was suspicion on any commercial firm about sales tax evasion. Similarly, the Union government ensures tax compliance through the IT department,’’ he said.EPS said that unlike in the past a global e-tendering system is being practised now. “Only after we open the tender we will get know the bidder. So, there’s no possibility of corruption,’’ he said.EPS, however, sought to distance himself from SPK and Co, where IT sleuths seized unaccounted cash and gold, saying he has relatives across the state, including several contractors.“If that is taken into account, no project can be awarded to anyone,” he said. One of his relatives, Ramalingam and Co, was in the business for 35 years and were getting contracts up to Rs 500 crore a year during the DMK rule too, he said.On the Salem-Chennai green corridor, EPS said the government was not threatening farmers to part with their land. “Land survey for 85% of the stretch is over. Only a few farmers are in anguish. We will hold talks and get them to agree to give their land,” he said.Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare issued a statement in Chennai that too said there were no irregularities in procurement of eggs for the noon meal scheme.

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