Chennai, Feb 8 (IANS): Countering Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy's allegation that he abused his powers in housing allotment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Tuesday told the state assembly the discretionary quota for allotting housing plots and apartments was introduced by the AIADMK government in 1979.

The quota was hiked by five percent to 15 percent during 1991-96 by the then AIADMK government, Karunanidhi said and listed out names of close relatives of various AIADMK leaders, Indian administrative and police service officials and others who have been allotted land under the discretionary quota.

Referring to news reports of Subramanian Swamy petitioning Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala for sanction to prosecute him for allotting land of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) under his discretionary quota, Karunanidhi read out a statement in the assembly.

He said the practice of allotting 85 percent of the TNHB's plots or apartments to applicants based on lots and the balance 15 percent under the government's discretionary quota has been followed in the state for a long time.

He said Swamy's contention was that there have been discrepancies in allotment of plots/apartments under the discretionary quota.

The chief minister said the government allotted land/apartments under discretionary quota to single women, destitute women, widows, differently abled, senior citizens living alone, journalists, social workers, employees of nationalised banks, serving and retired defence personnel and others based on the availability of stock on hand.

Karunanidhi said there have been instances where the allottees under the government's discretionary quota have returned the plots as they find the price on the higher side.

Emphasising that the government has not lost revenue due to allotment under discretionary quota, he said action would be taken on complaints where the allotment norms were flouted.