Annamalai asks Vijay govt to use White Paper as roadmap for fiscal recovery

CHENNAI: We The Leaders founder and chief servant K Annamalai on Friday urged the ruling TVK government to act swiftly on the concerns highlighted in its White Paper on the State's finances, saying the document should serve as a roadmap for corrective measures rather than a defence for future non-performance.

After reviewing the report, Annamalai said the findings were largely in line with concerns already raised about the State's fiscal health. He described the White Paper as a comprehensive account of the financial challenges that had accumulated over the past five years and said it offered a clear picture of Tamil Nadu's position compared with other industrialised states.

Alleging revenue losses due to systemic corruption and undervaluation of property transactions, he said such practices had weakened the State's revenue base.

Warning that Tamil Nadu's working-age population is projected to shrink by 2031, Annamalai said the State had limited time to strengthen its finances. He proposed the creation of a functional consultation group comprising economists, academics, and experts from various sectors to recommend measures to address the fiscal challenges facing the State.