Chennai: A delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam who holds the finance portfolio, called on the 15th Finance Commission and Union minister of state for finance and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan in New Delhi on Thursday and raised issues concerning the allocation of funds to the states.
Over 40 members of the delegation comprising MPs from AIADMK including M. Thambi Durai, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, explained about the efforts made and resources mobilised by Tamil Nadu towards the uplift of the people in the state, in a meeting which lasted for about 35 minutes. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the commission and put forward its views regarding the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the commission.
The members urged the commission to balance the need for fiscal transfers to less developed states while simultaneously meeting the growing aspirations and expectations of the people of the better performing states.
Fiscal needs of each State will be individually assessed:
N. K. Singh: Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, N. K. Singh, assured the delegation that the fiscal needs of each State would be individually assessed keeping in view their special characteristics, the 15th Finance Commission tweeted. Mr Singh said that a progressive state like Tamil Nadu, which has contributed greatly to India’s prosperity would certainly receive the commission’s careful consideration. Commission’s visit for Tamil Nadu was finalised for end of September, an official release said.
On April 12, while launching projects at the Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejected the accusation that the Centre was biased against the southern States. “Our critics seems to have missed that the Union government has suggested to the Finance Commission to consider incentivising States who have worked on population control,” he said. “By this yardstick, a state like Tamil Nadu, which has devoted a lot of effort, energy and resources towards population control would certainly benefit,” Mr Modi had said.Mr. Pon Radhakrishnan has assured the delegation all assistance to ensuring more funds flow to TN keeping in mind the State’s request.
According to Mr. Panneerselvam, who had raised the issue during the pre-budget meeting in the national capital earlier in the year, the state was standing to lose going by the present methodology of disbursing funds.
