CHENNAI: Pointing out that Tamil Nadu is entirely dependent on inter-State rivers for meeting its water requirements, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday urged the Centre to ‘operationalise’ the Cauvery Water Management Authority and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to implement the orders of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in an effective manner.
Addressing the governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi, he underscored the need to nationalise inter-State rivers through inter-linking, recalling that late CM J Jayalalithaa had made similar demands.
Ruing the revisions made in the post-matric scholarship scheme, which he said blunted the ability to improve the State’s gross enrolment ratio in higher education, the CM demanded the Prime Minister’s personal intervention to clear dues in reimbursements which exceed `1,804 crore as on March, 2018.
Referring to State finances, the CM suggested that power of collection and appropriation of personal income tax be vested with States as this would take care of needs to implement development schemes.