Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Thursday said the state government would take steps to secure a fair share of financial devolution from the Union government, including adopting a resolution in the Assembly and pursuing legal remedies if necessary.
Delivering his maiden address to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Arlekar said the government would publish a report detailing alleged Centre's "discriminatory approach" towards the state's financial devolution.
"A resolution will be passed in the Assembly demanding Tamil Nadu's rightful share of financial devolution from the taxes contributed to the Union government," the Governor said.
He also said that a special legal committee would be constituted to pursue the issue up to the Supreme Court to ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its due share of funds from the Centre.
"The government will work diligently to press the Union government to safeguard Tamil Nadu's welfare, protect the state's rights and secure the schemes required for its development," he said.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and members of the Assembly were present during the address.
Referring to a memorandum submitted by the Chief Minister to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Arlekar said the state had raised several long-pending demands, including concerns over the proposed Mekedatu dam project and issues affecting Tamil Nadu fishermen.
The Governor also highlighted a major political shift following the recent Assembly elections.
"A transformation never seen before in Tamil Nadu's political history has emerged after the Assembly polls. This government has demonstrated a model of shared power and governance, something unprecedented in the state's 74-year political history," he said.
On the state's finances, Arlekar said the government had recently released a White Paper to expose the previous administration's alleged fiscal mismanagement.
"Over the past few years, Tamil Nadu's financial position has deteriorated severely," he said, adding that the state's debt had nearly doubled in the last five years to around Rs 10 lakh crore, amounting to 28.3 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
According to the Governor, every resident of Tamil Nadu now bears a debt burden of more than Rs 1 lakh.
He further alleged that tax revenue had declined from 5.93 per cent of GSDP to 5.40 per cent due to leakages and systematic corruption during the previous regime.
The Governor concluded his address by noting that the government would continue to follow the state's long-standing policy positions on key issues, including the two-language formula.
(With inputs from PTI)
