Appavu Calls for States to Receive 75% of GST Revenue

Quick Summary

• Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M.Appavu garlanded the statue of freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram in Tirunelveli on his birth anniversary.
• Mr. Appavu criticized the Union government’s handling of GST revenue, suggesting that 75% of its share should be allocated to State governments for welfare programs benefitting deprived communities.
• He expressed concerns over the Union government’s excessive GST collection over eight years and questioned whether recent revisions would benefit States and common people.
• The Speaker highlighted that, despite challenges, Tamil Nadu is implementing welfare schemes like free breakfast for schoolchildren in government schools amid financial constraints.
• mr. Appavu criticized tests such as NEET and Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), labeling them “cruel,” and stated these could be repealed if States were allowed autonomy in creating their own education policies.

Indian opinion Analysis

The remarks made by Speaker M. Appavu underscore longstanding federal debates regarding resource allocation between India’s central and state governments. His call for increasing GST revenue share to states raises valid questions about fiscal centralization versus federal autonomy-a recurring theme in Indian governance discourse.

Tamil Nadu’s example of sustaining welfare initiatives like free school breakfasts highlights proactive state-level efforts to address public needs during financial strain but also illustrates discrepancies between states’ revenues versus their responsibilities. Additionally, criticism of standardized testing-for which authority often lies with national institutions-signals continuing friction between centralized policymaking and regional self-determination.

While these statements reflect wider tensions within India’s federal system, they also emphasize the importance of dialog evaluating equity in economic distribution alongside regional policy independence within a diverse nation like India.

Read more: The Hindu