Jayalalithaa vows to 'smash hurdles created by the Centre'

Chennai, Aug 13: J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Aug 12 lashed out at the Central government for trying to prevent the development of the state. Speaking in the state assembly, she also vowed to 'smash' all the hurdles to deliver welfare to the people of Tamil Nadu.

She said, "It is a matter of regret to say. But the Centre is working with the intention of not allowing Tamil Nadu to survive."

This was her second tirade in on the central government in two days. Earlier on Aug 11, she had charged the centre with inaction on a resolution by the Tamil Nadu Assembly seeking economic sanctions on Sri Lanka on the grounds of the ethnic conflict involving the Tamils.

She alleged that such things have emboldened Gotabaya Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary to ridicule the resolution.

In response to CPI (M) Floor Leader A Sounderrajan's plea for more funds for certain programmes, the Chief Minister said that the central government had "snatched" from states most of the revenue-generating portfolios and retained them with itself and left Value Added Tax and Commercial Taxes for states to meet their revenue.

She said, "State government's revenue is realised only from these. And we are managing all our expenses using these. We have the intention to do but financial deficit has tied us down."

OneIndia News