Presenting a memorandum containing 29-crucial issues to safeguard the legitimate interests of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a special task force constituted to look into the issues and ensure speedy clearance.
On water issues, Ms. Jayalalithaa asked the Prime Minister to set up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee immediately and advise Karnataka not to proceed with the Mekedatu scheme in violation of tribunal’s final order.
On power front, she asked Mr. Modi to instruct the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to expedite Kudankulam Unit II and finalise bidding for Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project.
On Uday scheme, she requested the requirement of quarterly revision of tariff be dispensed with along with five other suggestions.
Reiterating that the State lost Rs. 6,000 crore per annum due to the unbalanced formula of the 14{+t}{+h}Finance Commission, she requested enhancement of annual special grant to the State to Rs 2,000 crore in each of the remaining four years of the commission. According to the memorandum, there is no change in Tamil Nadu’s stance on Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.
Reiterating the need for a constitutionally mandated independent compensation mechanism for 100 per cent compensation of revenue losses suffered by States for a period of not less than five years, the Chief Minister detailed the adverse effects of the Bill on a manufacturing State like Tamil Nadu.
She asked the Prime Minister to permit Tamil Nadu through appropriate legislative intervention to continue its existing fair and transparent system of admission to medical colleges and dental colleges in State at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels on a permanent basis and not be forced to implement the NEET.
Green energy
In her efforts to drive green energy, Ms. Jayalalithaa asked the Centre to retain the sharing pattern for solar pump set scheme (Centre - 80 per cent, State – 15 per cent and farmers - 5 per cent).
