"Centre Is Not Hostile To Tamil Nadu" On Funds' Flow: Nirmala Sitharaman
NDTV
Nirmala Sitharaman had to put the record straight as there has been a misinformation campaign that the BJP-led union government was not prompt in releasing funds to states.
The Centre was never hostile towards Tamil Nadu, Kerala or any other state on ensuring funds flow and had made advance payments and even released funds to foster infrastructure development, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.
Responding to a criticism from the DMK government that the central government was not disbursing funds or settling its share, she said from 2014 to 2023 the Centre received Rs 6.23 lakh crore as direct tax (income tax and corporate tax) from Tamil Nadu but gave back Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state during the same period.
"I will get the update on the current figures only in March. But as per the available statistics, from 2014 till 2022-23, Tamil Nadu's direct tax collection was Rs 6.23 lakh crore. But we gave Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state," she said while speaking at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra programme here.
