ELECTIONS TO INDIAN PARLIAMENT 2019 - PART 4
The elections are over, done and dusted and the BJP had come out victorious bagging more than 300 seats and the NDA clocking over 350 seats. The two southern states Kerala and Tamilnadu defied the national trend and did not elect a single member of the BJP to the parliament. Even the sitting member and union minister from Kanyakumary constituency was defeated. Let us take a loot at post poll issues because of this peculiar position of these two states.
The BJP and its allies will elect the prime minister as
the leader of the party and Sri Modi will be sworn in as the next Prime
Minister after the new Lok Sabha is formed. He will form a new
government. His oft repeated slogan Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is going to drive
the government policies and plans in the next five years. His speech to
the newly elected members of the parliament of the alliance is a pointer
towards this. The under performance of the party in a few states is not going
to deter the government in taking those states along. Some of the states
like Tamilnadu contribute to the national treasury more than what they draw
from it. With the introduction of GST, the indirect taxes that were of
different regimes, rates, categories were all merged into one single tax regime
and the customer knows what he and how much he is paying for. This single
tax regime has also increased the tax revenue substantially.
The developed states like Tamilnadu contribute more by
way of collection through GST from the industries, commerce and services in the
states. The concept of taxing such states for the benefit of less developed
states to enable them to reach that level playing platform as recommended by
different finance commissions so far and adopted by the previous
governments is going to be continued by the next government also. In that
scenario, the allocation of funds as a share for states like Tamilnadu is going
to be lower compared to what is allocated to states like Odisha or Bihar.
Tamilnadu state is looking at a huge debt burden of more
than 4 lakh crores (INR 4 trillion) and whatever revenue generated will be just
enough to meet the administrative expenses and interest cost. Therefore,
a different approach to state's finances must be made. However, with a higher
representation in the parliament only of the opposition parties and the state
ruling party having one seat only in the election, it is well nigh impossible
for getting a higher allocation of funds and setting right the finances of the
state. The various welfare measures initiated by the former chief
minister that are being continued by the present government are a big drain on
the state treasury and a pragmatic view must be taken in respect of all these
welfare measures. The state's over dependence on the liquor vends under
the control of the state corporation for generating revenue is making the
public spending the money on liquor consumption and drunkards. Socially
and economically this is proving to be a big thumbs down to the state in terms
of growth and standing among other states. The revenue of about INR 30000
crores annually from the liquor corporation is not even enough to meet the
administrative expenses of the government. Secondly the state-owned
transport corporations had been reeling under heavy losses. Though new
buses had been acquired by the government, the maintenance of the same is
far from satisfactory leading to frequent breakdowns and damages. The
debt burden is increasing with additional revenue expenditure by way of
increased salaries, pension etc. This puts the state under tremendous
financial burden. The state administration has to work in tandem with the
central government for increased allocation of funds from the central treasury
and implement various schemes that had been drawn for the welfare of the state.
The people of the state got carried away by the
unrestrained attack on the ruling party in the center and the prime minister
and the majority Hindu religion by the main opposition party in the state. The
brazen manner in which the opposition party and many fringe elements in
attacking many development plans for the state has cost the state in terms of
employment opportunity and further development. It is time, the main opposition
party realizes its wrong policies of attacking the prime minister and the
central government for all the ills of the previous governments in which it was
a partner and put a full stop to it. Failing which it will be a throwback
to state to the late sixties when the development was lagging many other
states.
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