High-Level Committee on State Autonomy Formed: Stalin

Accusing the Central Government of gradually encroaching upon the rights of states, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine issues related to state autonomy, under the leadership of a retired Supreme Court judge.

The committee will be headed by former Supreme Court Justice Kurian Joseph. It will closely review the relationship between the central and state governments to ensure the protection of state autonomy. The committee is expected to submit an interim report by January next year.

Chief Minister Stalin informed the state assembly that a final report, with appropriate recommendations, will be submitted within two years.

The committee will also include former bureaucrat Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Commission M. Naganathan as members.

The CM stated that the committee would study the transfer of subjects from the State List to the Concurrent List in accordance with the law. He also highlighted that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) lies outside the jurisdiction of the states.