Multiple avenues to boost States’ revenue, dual citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamils among key poll promises of AIADMK
The AIADMK’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, released on Friday, listed a number of proposals to boost the States’ revenue.
Apart from ensuring that the revenue earned from cess and surcharge is shared with the States (a position taken by its archrival and the ruling party in the State, the DMK), the principal Opposition party also wanted the merger of the GST compensation cess with the tax itself, and the apportionment of 50% of Income Tax collections with the respective States, as is the case with Central GST and State GST. Currently, the levy of cess is in force till 2026 to repay the loans taken during the CO
VID19 years to make up for the shortfall in revenue collection.
Released by the party’s general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the manifesto recommended that States be allowed to borrow, for development projects, from external agencies without the stipulation of a counterguarantee from the Union government. It favoured a costsharing pattern of centrallysponsored schemes in the ratio of 75:25 instead of the existing 60:40.
The party urged the Central government to increase the allotment of cooking gas cylinders and the provision of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for the State, as it had not been revised for years. The unit cost of the housing scheme should be increased to ₹5 lakh from the present ₹2.7 lakh. The pension under social security schemes should be increased in line with inflation, it said.
As sought by the DMK, the AIADMK, too, wanted the Centre to consult the Chief Ministers of the States concerned at the time of appointing Governors; establish a branch of the Supreme Court in Chennai; grant Statehood to Puducherry; and provide 33% quota for women in the legislature. The winter session of Parliament should be conducted in Chennai, and the nomenclature for new criminal laws should be restored to English from Hindi, it said.
As regards petrol, diesel and cooking gas cylinders, the party suggested that the Centre take over the responsibility of determining the prices of essential commodities and lower the prices. It wanted payment under the Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme to be hiked to ₹3,000 per month. Daily wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme should be increased to ₹450 and linked to the consumer price index, it said.
As for Sri Lankan Tamils living in the State, the party reiterated its demand for dual citizenship. It wanted Sri Lankan Tamils and Muslims to be brought under the ambit of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The party sought the reinstatement of 50% concession on longdistance train fares for senior citizens and journalists; and medical admission based on performance in higher secondary exams rather than NEET. The Centre should waive the education loans of those who were unable to repay them. A new education policy should be formulated in line with the views of the States, it said.
The monthly payment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi should be revised to ₹12,000 from ₹6,000. The prices of paddy and sugar cane should be pegged at ₹5,000 per quintal and ₹6,000 per tonne, respectively. The farmers’ insurance scheme should be run by the Centre, and not private firms, it said.