TN to pursue fair devolution of funds with Centre, adopt Assembly resolution: Guv Arlekar

CHENNAI: In his maiden address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday said the state government will take steps for fair devolution of funds from the Centre.

A report detailing Centre's "discriminatory approach" over financial devolution to Tamil Nadu will be published, he said.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and others were present.

A resolution will be passed in Assembly demanding Tamil Nadu's due share of financial devolution from taxes contributed to union government, Arlekar said.

"A special legal committee will be constituted to pursue issue up to Supreme Court to secure fair financial devolution," he said.

It will be ensured that Tamil Nadu receives its rightful share of financial devolution from union government, he added.

The government will work diligently to press Centre to safeguard TN's welfare, fight for state's rights, to implement schemes needed for state.

He also referred to the White Paper presented by the TVK-led state government released recently over the previous government's "fiscal mismanagement."

"Every individual living in TN bears debt burden of over Rs 1 lakh."

For the first time in the past few years, the Governor struck to the government-prepared text of his speech, unlike his predecessor RN Ravi who even walked out during his address in the wake of the face-off between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK-led government.