Lok Sabha delimitation exercise a big conspiracy to punish high-performing South Indian states: Udhayanidhi Stalin
Chennai, 12 October 2023: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Tamil Nadu, delivered the keynote address on ‘The Tamil Nadu Model: What India Can Learn,’ at the Southern Rising Summit by ABP Network. In his address, he spoke extensively about the rise of South Indian states, their economic progress, industrial development, welfare schemes, and issues like the Delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha constituencies.
Regarding the delimitation exercise, he said, “A bigger conspiracy is being hatched to punish the Southern states for their good performance through the impending delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha constituencies. In the 1970s, the Union government promoted the population control measures. The South Indian states implemented these measures effectively. Their population growth rate slowed in comparison to states that did not implement them well, whose population continued to grow at a higher rate. This effectively reduced the population share of the South Indian states. Today, this is being used against us. As you all would know, the Constitution mandates that each state must receive seats in proportion to its population, and constituencies should be of roughly equal size to the population.”
He added, “Tamil Nadu will lose its Lok Sabha seats from 39 to 31. This is a clear attempt to silence our voice. The Union government is trying to centralize power and encouraging disparities in terms of revenue sharing. For every 1 rupee Tamil Nadu pays, the state receives only 29 paise. Since 2014, it has paid to the tune of Rs 5 lakh crore but received only Rs 2 lakh crore in return. The South is paying higher taxes to the Union government. We are great patriots and among the first to contribute to national development.”
The Minister further highlighted how the state of Tamil Nadu has been making significant strides in terms of economic progress and development.
He said, “The South is rising. It has attained greater heights in food security, health, education, and infrastructure sectors. South Indian states have grown faster in the last 50 years. Tamil Nadu is the first state in India to frame an IT policy and introduced a need-based computer education in the state. Our people have gone places, from NASA to Silicon Valley. Tamilians have occupied significant positions. Our state has educated scientists who have made substantial contributions to space projects in ISRO. The state has produced the best talent in the space sector.”
In his keynote address, he mentioned that about 1 crore 6 lakh women are receiving financial aid of Rs 1000 per month. He also talked about various nutrition and transportation programs that have benefited the people and how other states have replicated these schemes.
“The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in Tamil Nadu is 60%, which is better than that of the United States of America. We advocate a system where the Union government acts as an enabler to support the state in forming government policies according to its own needs,” he concluded.
The Southern Rising’ Summit was conceptualized and instituted by ABP Network as a tribute to the exceptional growth, cultural opulence, and societal harmony exemplified by the southern states of India. It aimed to celebrate the spirit and richness of southern states, united on a singular mission of driving a transformative journey for India. The summit witnessed profound deliberations and sharing of insights by the movers and shakers of South Indian states and Union Territories.
