The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, on Saturday ripped apart the Approach Paper to the 12th Plan for lacking “clear direction and strategies” and attempting to reduce States to ‘glorified Municipal Corporations”.

She also came down heavily on the UPA Government for "step-motherly" treatment of non-Congress-ruled States.

“People living in the States under non-Congress governments are as much citizens of India as those in States where Congress is in power," she said in her speech, read out in absentia, at the National Development Council (NDC) meeting.

“Despite repeated requests for special assistance, funds are not provided to Tamil Nadu while a special package has been given to West Bengal…..an ally of the ruling party at the Centre," she said.

GOODS AND SERVICES TAX

Terming the NDC meet as “ritualistic and an exercise in futility”, the Chief Minister said the Centre was trying to usurp the power of States to levy VAT. “We anticipate huge revenue losses in implementation of GST… In its present form, GST is an assault on the fiscal autonomy of States."

PRICE RISE

The policies and action of the Centre have “miserably failed” and have actually contributed to the burden of the people through repeated increases in petroleum product prices, she said.

There is “lack of emphasis in the Approach Paper on direct attack on poverty, particularly in urban areas," she said.

ENERGY PRICES

Ms Jayalalithaa said there were limits to raising energy prices in an inflationary context. She said the push should be towards raising energy efficiency. In view of the power shortage in Tamil Nadu, she said many Central stations are not achieving their targeted generation. “My request for a special allocation from the Central unallocated pool… has not evoked any response.”

FLAGSHIP SCHEMES

The Chief Minister flayed the Centre for treating “elected State Governments as mere local supplicants” and demanded restoration of the practice of providing untied funds for such schemes.

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