OPS urges finance panel chief to amend ToR, meets Law Minister

During the meeting, OPS had explained to Singh that devolution of funds from Centre through Finance Commissions had been on a downward revision. He drew the attention of 14th Finance Commission to allocation of the Commission stating that state lost as much as Rs 7,000 crore when compared to the previous Commission. 

“We have explained to him that population Census pertaining to 1971 should be used in place of 2011 since the state which has implemented the Centre’s direction on population control and by using the recent data would affect the allocation further,” Panneerselvam said. 

“We told him that the prosperity and development of Tamil Nadu would contribute to the nation’s GDP and more funding to Tamil Nadu would help the Centre as well,” he added. The Deputy CM had also raised the issue of inadequate relief measures released by the Centre at times of natural calamities such as drought and cyclone. 

“Our state is prone to natural calamities and we do not have sufficient funds for Disaster Management and Mitigation. As and when we seek relief for such measures, the Centre provides for very little and insists us to include the projects in our fiscal plans. This puts pressure on the state’s finance which is already stressed. We brought this to his attention and he gave us a patient hearing,” he said. 

Panneerselvam, who also met Union Law Minister, said that he had explained the state’s stand against the dilution of SC/ST Act necessitated by an order issued by the Supreme Court and on filing the review petition on the same. “He told us Centre was also of the same opinion,” he said. 

On the Opposition’s allegation of not being able to meet Prime Minister over spate of issues including Cauvery and Sterlite, OPS maintained that the Edappadi regime was exerting pressure on the PM as and when Narendra Modi comes down. He added that the ban to operate for Sterlite was still on. He also blamed Cauvery dispute on the opposition DMK.