Stalin reiterated Tamil Nadu's motto of 'Federalism at the Centre; autonomy for states' even as he stressed importance of working unitedly.
Published Sep 03, 2022 | 7:23 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 03, 2022 | 7:23 PM
Picture of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin greeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Southern Zonal Council Meeting. (Supplied)
The anti-NEET bill, extension of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation, and setting up of a high-speed rail corridor in the state were among the key demands raised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at the 30th Southern Zonal Council meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, 3 September.
The meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, also saw participation by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Puducherry Lieutenant-Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, and ministers and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar, and Lakshadweep.
Noting that the council’s meeting was a positive way to resolve differences, Stalin touched upon subjects that the southern states have been highlighting in the recent past.
“’Federalism at the Centre; autonomy for states’, is our motto. When we proposed this 50 years ago, we were in a minority. Today, all state governments and regional parties have embraced our motto,” he said.
The 30th Southern Zonal Council meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. (Supplied)
Stalin reiterated the demand of several states on the extension of the GST compensation period for up to two years as, “after the introduction of GST, the fiscal autonomy of state governments has been largely restricted”.
He also urged the Union government to release the disaster relief funds and other such funds immediately, a point of friction for many non-BJP-ruled states.
He sought Shah’s intervention to get the President’s assent for the Tamil Nadu Admission to Under Graduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, popularly known as the anti-NEET bill, which did away with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) as the basis for admissions into medical colleges.
The bill, passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly for the second time on 8 February, 2022, was referred to the President of India by the Tamil Nadu Governor in May this year.
The chief minister also brought up the thorny issue of privatisation of airports. Given that state governments acquire and transfer land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) free of cost for setting up airports, Stalin emphasised that when the AAI transfers the assets to a third party, then the value realised must be proportionately shared with the state government.
“Alternatively, the value of the lands should be converted as equity of the state government through a Special Purpose Vehicle,” he added.
While on the topic of public transport, Stalin also raised another key demand: Creation of High-Speed Rail Corridor connecting specific locations in Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Coimbatore, Tuticorin and Madurai and to neighbouring states as well.
Highlighting the benefits of such a project, he said the rail corridor would be more economical, more energy efficient and less polluting than automobiles and aircraft.
“This initiative would reduce carbon footprint in line with India’s net zero ambitions and enhance the economic prosperity of the State as a whole.”
Terming Tamil Nadu a “pioneer in promoting renewable energy sources which are eco-friendly and non-exhaustive”, the Tamil Nadu chief minister urged the Union government to withdraw the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, and allow state-owned distribution licensees to continue to supply quality power at affordable rates to the people.
The Bill, introduced by the Centre, drew widespread criticism from the southern states. In states like Tamil Nadu, farmers associations and TANGEDCO employees staged a protest against the proposed bill, which could threaten the subsidies given to farmers and the poor, and could lead to greater privatisation.
Stalin also wanted the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur 800KW HVDC system to be declared as an asset of national and strategic importance so as to avoid tariff shocks to the southern states.
On Tamil Nadu having the highest offshore wind potential of 27GW in the country, the chief minister stated that Tamil Nadu is willing to procure all the power generated through offshore wind.
On the internal security front, Stalin remarked that the Tamil Nadu government was keeping a “strict, constant vigil and maintaining public order and communal harmony effectively”.
In order to improve internal security, he suggested that real-time information on internal security aspects may be shared by the Centre and and called for better coordination among intelligence chiefs of the southern states.
