Jaya meets PM Modi, says GST impacts fiscal autonomy of states like Tamil Nadu

On her first visit after her second consecutive election victory, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and submitted a memorandum demanding among other things formation of Cauvery Management Board and a water regulation committee.

During the meeting at the Race Course residence of the prime minister, she presented a 29-page memorandum which also demanded the restoration of water level at Mullaperiyar dam to 152 feet.

Interlinking of rivers, retrieval of Katchatheevu island and inclusion of fishermen in the Scheduled Tribes list are also listed in the memorandum.

Jayalalithaa pressed the Centre for addressing the state’s grievances over issues related to the implementation of GST.

In the memorandum, the state has also urged for the early commissioning of Unit 2 of Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

Jayalalithaa, who arrived in the afternoon, met 50 of her party MPs, the largest regional group in Parliament, before she drove to Modi’s residence.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai, Special Advisor Sheela Balakrishnan and Chief Secretary Rama Mohan Rao accompanied her.

TN CM had also urged the centre to set up an All India Institute of Medical Science in the state along with addressing the issues related to NEET in state.

Srilankan Tamils issue, lifting of the ban on the conduct of Jallikattu and declaring Tamil as an official language were also among the demands made by the chief minister.

She wanted a decision to allow use of Tamil as the language of Madras High Court. Union Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Pon Radhakrishnan also called on the Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu house in the evening.