For every rupee paid by Tamil Nadu to the Union government through the Central GST and Income and Corporate Taxes, the Centre has given the State the same amount through devolution of funds, grant in aid, subsidies, and funds for projects such as roads and airports, contended K. Annamalai, former BJP State president on Thursday.

He told journalists in Coimbatore that in 2021-2022, the CGST and Income and Corporate Tax paid by Tamil Nadu was ₹1,10,453 crore and in FY 23, it was ₹1,34,425 crore. In the 2021-2022 fiscal, the Centre gave the State ₹72,510 crore and in 2022-2023, ₹76,465 crore through devolution of funds and grant-in-aid. In 2021-2022, as an instance, the Centre also gave ₹30,456 crore as subsidies (food, fertilizer, etc) apart from funds for projects such as roads and airports.

“So, for every ₹1 paid to the Central government by the State, ₹1 was given back,” he claimed. In the last four years, Tamil Nadu paid the Centre ₹4,36,136 crore and the total transfer to the State by the Centre was ₹5,47,380 crore.

Further, the Tamil Nadu government has launched schemes similar to the Vishwakarma scheme and the Janaushadhi schemes of the Union government. But, there are very few beneficiaries registered for the credit-linked subsidy scheme for artisans (Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam) and the government should share the number of beneficiaries registered for it so far. Similarly, in the case of Mudhalvar Marundhagam, the State government is trying to procure medicine from the Centre and thus blocking the medicines to be supplied to the Janaushadhi outlets in the State, he claimed.

Mr. Annamalai said there will be a day when there will be a political change in Tamil Nadu. “It is inevitable and I am waiting for it,” he said.

On the Anna University case, he said he welcomed the defamation case filed by former PRO of Anna University and will not apologise as demanded by him. There should be a CBI inquiry into the case, he said.