DMK chief Kanimozhi on Monday accused the Center of “punishing” Tamil Nadu and other southern states by giving them a smaller share of tax revenue as they have taken effective measures to control the population over the years. year.
Raising the issue of decentralizing tax revenue in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, she said the 15th Finance Committee, in its final report, changed its mandate and adopted 2011 census data rather than numbers. of the 1971 population for the decentralization of tax revenues. among states.
It also took into account 15% of decentralization based on state population according to the 2011 census and 12.5% of decentralization based on demographic performance.
“This effectively punishes states like Tamil Nadu, which have effectively contained its population since the 1970s,” Kanimozhi said.
Other southern states “are also being punished” for receiving a smaller share of the Centre’s tax revenue only because their populations have declined, she added.
“This is an unfair devolution of income because it hinders the development of successful states and it is as if they are being punished and penalized for such achievements,” said the head of the DMK.
Referring to the report of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), she said that Tamil Nadu has a lower fertility rate than the national fertility rate and attributed this to the successful implementation of the program. family planning in the state.
“Our Prime Minister, in his Independence Day speech in 2019, said that a small part of society, which keeps its families small, deserves respect. Unfortunately, when a population control measure is taken by a state, it is not rewarded and is punished by the Union government, ”Kanimozhi said.
She said there had been a 19 percent drop in the Centre’s fiscal share between the 13th Finance Committee and the 14th Finance Committee.
“And this downward trend continues. Many states, which work well, especially in terms of population control, are penalized. States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which have done very well, are on the loser, ”added the leader of DMK.
She also expressed fears about a further reduction in the number of parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu during a delimitation process due to a decline in the state’s population.
Tamil Nadu had 41 parliamentary constituencies at the time of the 1962 election, but it now has 39 seats in Lok Sabha as its population has shrunk, Kanimozhi said.
“We have read that again the delimitation process will reduce our seats even further. I think this is very unfair and goes against the ethics of democracy. It needs to be rectified. We need our fair share of taxes and the number of seats should not be reduced and it should be reduced to 41 “, she added.
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