Chennai, Aug 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged the Union government to protect the Parliamentary representation of Southern states, approve Tamil Nadu’s demand for exemption from National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and strengthen interstate coordination against drug trafficking.
Vijay raised the three issues while addressing the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting, chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Taj Fisherman’s Cove in Kovalam of Chengalpattu district.
The meeting was hosted by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led Tamil Nadu government.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and representatives of other Southern states and Union Territories attended the deliberations on interstate and Centre-state issues.
On Delimitation, Vijay sought a firm legislative assurance that no state would lose its existing share of representation in Parliament following the proposed delimitation exercise.
He said the Southern states had led the country in population stabilisation, human development and economic growth by successfully implementing national priorities.
Such achievements should not lead to a reduction in their political representation, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister added, warning that public policy must not penalise states for meeting national population-control objectives.
“Protecting their proportional representation would uphold equity, preserve the federal balance envisaged by the Constitution and strengthen the confidence of states in democratic institutions,” CM Vijay said.
Vijay also reiterated Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the NEET and urged the Centre to clear the state’s demand for an exemption.
He said the admission system should protect social justice and ensure that students from rural, government-school and economically weaker backgrounds were not placed at a disadvantage.
Turning to narcotics, the Chief Minister sought closer coordination among Southern states and central agencies to curb the movement and distribution of drugs across state borders.
He called for improved intelligence-sharing, coordinated enforcement operations and tougher monitoring of online sales of prescription medicines and psychotropic substances.
Vijay said that drug abuse could not be tackled effectively by individual states acting in isolation because trafficking networks frequently operated across jurisdictions.
A common regional mechanism involving police, enforcement agencies and health departments was necessary to realise the objective of a drug-free South India.
The Southern Zonal Council serves as a consultative forum for the Centre, southern states and Union Territories to address regional concerns, resolve interstate disputes and improve administrative cooperation.
The discussions also covered infrastructure, water sharing and regional development.
–IANS
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