Chennai, June 11 (PTI) Ahead of the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in Delhi, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to press the central government on several key demands concerning the state’s development, financial entitlements, and future projects.
Vijay is on a three-day visit to New Delhi in view of the NITI Aayog meeting on Thursday, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which brings together chief ministers and administrators from across the country to discuss the developmental agenda and cooperative federalism, sources said.
“Tamil Nadu is a leading contributor to India’s economic growth. The state provides significant revenue to the country across sectors such as industry, education, health, information technology, manufacturing, and exports. Therefore, it is essential that Tamil Nadu receives its fair share of financial allocations and priority in development schemes”, the PMK leader said in a statement here.
“At the meeting several demands should be strongly raised on behalf of Tamil Nadu, which includes reassess the per-capita grant allocation method and instead allocate funds based on development indicators and each state’s contribution, increase central funding for the education sector, including the establishment of new schools, higher education institutions, research centers, and skill-development hubs and to announce a special funding package for upgrading public hospitals, medical colleges, district health centers, and medical infrastructure”, Ramadoss said.
“In addition, the central government should provide full funding and support for metro, rail, port, and airport expansion projects in cities such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Tuticorin”, he demanded, adding “allocate a dedicated agricultural development fund for the Cauvery delta regions, drought-affected districts, and other major agricultural production zones”.
Ramadoss said the Centre should also promote employment in Tamil Nadu by supporting the creation of new industrial estates, secure manufacturing units, shipbuilding industries, and production hubs.
“Similarly, it (Centre) should also provide permanent disaster-relief funding to Tamil Nadu to better respond to natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, and droughts”, he said, adding “it should ensure proper financial support for GST compensation, central tax devolution, and measures that secure states’ financial autonomy,” he said.
“Tamil Nadu’s interests, development, and future progress require a strong voice in this meeting to secure the necessary central funding and schemes”, he added. PTI SNR SNR ADB
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