PMK Appeals to Centre for 50% Increase in State Fund Allocation
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Synopsis
On March 1, PMK's S. Ramadoss urged the Central government to enhance state fund allocations by 50%. He criticized the potential reduction in Tamil Nadu's share of funds and opposed the three-language policy, emphasizing its negative impact on marginalized communities. The PMK leader also voiced concerns about board exams for younger students.
Key Takeaways
- Demand for 50% increase in state fund allocation.
- Concerns over reduction of Tamil Nadu's share of central funds.
- Opposition to three-language policy affecting marginalized communities.
- Criticism of board exams for younger students.
- Call for fairness in fund distribution.
Chennai, March 1 (NationPress) The founder and president of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), S. Ramadoss, made an appeal on Saturday for the Central government to boost the fund allocation to state governments by 50 per cent.
In his statement, Ramadoss highlighted reports indicating that the central government has instructed the 16th Finance Commission to decrease the states' share of central funds from 41 per cent to 40 per cent.
He pointed out that Tamil Nadu is among the major contributors of tax revenue to the Central government, yet it receives a disproportionately low share of allocations.
"If the allocation is cut to 40 per cent, Tamil Nadu's share will diminish even further," he cautioned.
Ramadoss described this decision as unjust, particularly when there is an increasing demand to elevate the allocation to 50 per cent.
He called on the central government to abandon this proposal and requested that the 16th Finance Commission dismiss any similar recommendations if presented.
The PMK, representing the influential Vanniyar community, contested the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
However, the party has voiced strong opposition to the Central government's three-language policy.
Party leader and Member of Parliament Anbumani Ramadoss, son of S. Ramadoss, criticized the new education policy, asserting that it is inequitable towards marginalized communities.
He claimed that the three-language policy seeks to impose Sanskrit and could limit access to quality education for underprivileged students. He also condemned the idea of board exams for Class 3 students, labeling them entirely unacceptable.
The PMK leader further stated that his party is against board examinations for students up to Class 8. Rejecting the three-language policy, Anbumani Ramadoss remarked, "Although the Centre asserts that the third language can be chosen freely, the regulations favor Sanskrit, ultimately leading to its imposition."
Regarding the separation of college affiliations from universities, he acknowledged that granting autonomy to government colleges is a positive move, but extending this privilege to private colleges could lead to irregularities and malpractices.
