CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday urged the BJP-led Union government to extend its support to all States including Tamil Nadu without any discrimination to help them achieve their developmental goals and that of the country.
Addressing NITI Aayog’s Governing Council (GC) meeting in New Delhi chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the participation of CMs from across the country, Stalin stressed that “cooperative federalism” is the foundational principle to realise PM’s vision to make India a developed nation and a 30 trillion-dollar economy by 2047.
He recalled PM Modi’s remarks in the previous GC meeting that the states should play a vital role in achieving this vision since they are directly connected to the people.
He further said that states being made to constantly fight and litigate for their rightful share of funds from the Union government does not bode well for the country’s cooperative federal structure. This will not only affect the development of individual States, but India as a whole, he added.
Pointing to the achievements made under the Namami Gange Programme to clean up river Ganga, Stalin urged for a similar scheme for key rivers like Cauvery, Thamirabarani and Vaigai. He, however, underlined the need for naming the schemes in English, which he said served as the link language, and the states can respectively translate the names into their regional languages.
Other key demands raised by the CM included the introduction of a new scheme like that of AMRUT 2.0 for urban development, and increase the share of central tax revenues to be devolved to the states to 50%, a demand highlighted earlier by the state in its representation to the 16th Finance Commission.
Highlighting the need for a major scheme with substantial funding to provide robust infrastructure for growing urban centres, he said the AMRUT 2.0 scheme is nearing completion and there is an urgent need for a new urban renaissance scheme focusing on quality infrastructure, efficient mobility, and sanitation.
Stalin contended that contrary to the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission that the states' share in the divisible pool of central taxes be increased to 41%, the states have received only 33.16% of the “gross tax revenue” of the Union government in the past four years.
Moreover, increasing responsibility of states in implementing centrally-sponsored schemes has further affected the financial burden of states like Tamil Nadu.
Reiterating the State’s demand for the Union government’s share of Rs 2,152 crore due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme for 2024-25, he urged the PM to release the funds without further delay or “one-sided conditions” as the lack of funds was affecting the education of children in government schools and those studying in private schools under the Right to Education Act.
Stalin also highlighted Tamil Nadu’s achievements, including achieving the highest growth rate of 9.69% in the country achieved in 2024-25, various social-sector schemes being and other measures that have made the State a frontrunner in urbanisation.
He said the State was striving relentlessly, guided by the challenge of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030 and a 4.5 trillion-dollar economy by 2047. “I assure you that our contribution to India's target of a 30 trillion-dollar economy will be significant," he added.
During the tea break, the PM was seen interacting with Stalin and CMs of few other States, including Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.
