Centre punishing TN, other states for population control, not giving due share of tax revenues: DMK


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 06-12-2021 22:28 IST | Created: 06-12-2021 22:28 IST
Centre punishing TN, other states for population control, not giving due share of tax revenues: DMK
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DMK leader Kanimozhi accused the Centre on Monday of ''punishing'' Tamil Nadu and other southern states by giving a smaller share of tax revenues to them as they have taken effective measures to control population over the years.

Raising the issue of devolution of tax revenues in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, she said the 15th Finance Commission, in its final report, changed its terms of reference and adopted the 2011 census data rather than the 1971 population figures for devolving tax revenues among the states.

It has also considered 15 per cent of devolution based on the population of the states according to the 2011 census and 12.5 per cent of devolution 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 also ''get punished'' as they get a smaller share of the tax revenues from the Centre only because their population has decreased, she added.

''This is an unfair devolution of revenues as it hinders the development of well-performing states and it is like they are being punished and penalised for such accomplishments,'' the DMK leader said.

Referring to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report, she said Tamil Nadu has a fertility rate that is lower than the national fertility rate and gave credit for it to a successful implementation of the family planning programme in the state.

''Our prime minister, in his Independence Day speech in 2019, had said a small section of the 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 was a decline of 19 per cent in the tax share from the Centre between the 13th Finance Commission and the 14th Finance Commission.

''And this trend of depreciation is continuing. Many of the states, which are performing well, especially when it comes to population control, are being penalised. States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which have done very well, are on the losing end,'' the DMK leader added.

She also raised apprehensions 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 election in 1962 but now, it has 39 seats in the Lok Sabha as its population has gone down, Kanimozhi pointed out.

''We have been reading that again the delimitation process will reduce our seats even further. I think this is very unfair and goes against the ethos of democracy. This has to be rectified. We need our due share of taxes and the number of seats should not be reduced and it has to be brought back to 41,'' she added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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