Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Aug 20: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged the Centre to take key measures on delimitation, NEET and the growing drug menace while participating in the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council in Kovalam, Chengalpattu district.
The meeting, hosted by the Tamil Nadu government, was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, among others.
On delimitation, Vijay sought a firm legislative assurance that no state would lose its share of parliamentary representation because of its success in population stabilisation.
He said southern states had successfully implemented population-control measures while also achieving progress in human development and economic growth. He cautioned that delimitation based predominantly on population could reduce the political representation of states that had achieved population stabilisation.
Vijay said such an assurance was necessary to protect the federal balance envisaged by the Constitution and maintain confidence in democratic institutions.
On NEET, the Tamil Nadu chief minister reiterated the state’s opposition to the medical entrance examination, arguing that it disadvantages rural and economically and socially marginalised students.
He urged the Centre to permit Tamil Nadu to admit students to MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses under the state quota solely on the basis of Class 12 marks.
Vijay also called for stricter regulation of online sales of prescription medicines and stronger coordination between states to tackle narcotics. He urged the Centre to strengthen enforcement against unauthorised online sales and review the legal framework to address emerging substance abuse among youth.
The chief minister also raised the issue of interstate river disputes, particularly the Cauvery water-sharing issue with Karnataka. He said cooperation between states must go hand in hand with compliance with Supreme Court judgments, tribunal awards and statutory mechanisms.
On the Cauvery dispute, Vijay stressed the need for timely implementation of the Supreme Court’s directions and the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
The CWMA had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu from 8 am on August 12 for 15 days. The Supreme Court subsequently directed the Karnataka government to comply with the order.