Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday made a robust pitch for a united South, calling for larger cooperation among the many southern states on shared challenges together with inter-state water disputes, drug abuse, NEET, delimitation and financial growth.
Addressing the thirty first Southern Zonal Council assembly at Mahabalipuram, chaired by Union Residence Minister Amit Shah, Vijay, the Vice-Chair of the Council, stated the southern states, which collectively contribute greater than 30% of India’s GDP, might obtain larger progress by performing as an built-in area.
The assembly was attended by chief ministers and ministers of the southern states, whereas the chief ministers of Puducherry and Telangana skipped it.
Tacitly referring to Karnataka’s plan to assemble the Mekedatu reservoir throughout the Cauvery, Vijay stated upstream interventions that would have an effect on one other state’s rightful share should proceed solely throughout the authorized and institutional framework.
With Tamil Nadu being the decrease riparian state, he careworn that its rights and warranted river flows have to be protected. He stated the Supreme Courtroom’s judgment, tribunal awards and orders of the Cauvery Water Administration Authority have to be applied “in letter and spirit”, and particularly referred to as for well timed implementation of the Supreme Courtroom judgment and the authority’s selections.
On Mullaperiyar, the Tamil Nadu-controlled dam in Kerala initially constructed by the British, Vijay stated security issues over elevating the storage stage from 146 ft to 152 ft have to be guided by judicial selections. Kerala continues to oppose elevating the extent to 152 ft on security grounds, regardless of the Supreme Courtroom’s order allowing the rise after the dam was strengthened.
Vijay stated mutual belief, scientific proof and respect for the legislation might shield the pursuits of each riparian state.
Vijay additionally renewed Tamil Nadu’s opposition to NEET, saying it locations rural college students and people from socially and economically deprived backgrounds at an obstacle, significantly these unable to afford personal teaching.
He urged the Centre to allow Tamil Nadu to fill all state-quota seats in MBBS, BDS and AYUSH programs solely on the premise of Class XII marks, describing the state’s school-based system as equitable and inclusive.
On delimitation, Vijay warned that population-based redistribution of Lok Sabha seats might diminish the collective voice of the southern states, which have efficiently stabilised their populations. He sought a transparent legislative assurance that no state would endure a discount in its proportion of parliamentary illustration due to its success in inhabitants stabilisation.
Vijay’s formulation marks a slight shift from the Tamil Nadu Meeting’s earlier decision, which had sought a freeze on the current Lok Sabha energy of 543 seats.
Drug abuse, a key problem in latest Tamil Nadu politics and a serious TVK ballot promise, additionally figured prominently. Vijay referred to as for southern states to collectively curb the inter-state motion of narcotics via intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement.
He additionally urged the Centre to tighten regulation of on-line gross sales of prescription medicines and act in opposition to unauthorised gross sales. A coordinated regional effort, he stated, might assist realise not solely a “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” however a “Drug-Free South India”.
Turning to fiscal federalism, Vijay demanded honest and equitable remedy for the southern states forward of the following Finance Fee, saying states that had invested in growth, fiscal self-discipline and inhabitants stabilisation shouldn’t be deprived.
He additionally referred to as for states to work collectively to “reclaim flexibility in tax fee dedication”, declaring that after GST, states have just about no versatile income levers outdoors petroleum and alcohol.
Vijay proposed frequent financial and logistics clusters throughout the South, together with built-in manufacturing zones, multimodal logistics parks and freight corridors. He cited the proposed Bengaluru Metro extension from Bommasandra to Hosur as a mannequin of interstate cooperation, urging the Union and each states to take it ahead.
He additionally referred to as for a typical maritime technique overlaying ports, coastal transport, fisheries and marine industries to unlock the area’s blue economic system.
“Our rivers, coasts, infrastructure and markets ought to unite us in a typical function and shared prosperity,” Vijay stated, ending together with his bigger message: “Sturdy states make for a stronger India.”
