In an interview on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hinted that the Centre is considering giving Jammu and Kashmir statehood.
As she explained during the event on Centre-state relations — Cooperative Federalism: A Path to Atma Nirbhar Bharat, “Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi) fully accepted the Finance Commission report, which is why today states receive 42 percent of the tax collected — now 41 percent as J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) is no longer a state. As per the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, it will soon become… may be some time.” She said this regarding the distribution of funds to the states by the Centre. It is my priority to serve them transparently and without corruption, said the Finance Minister. There is no distinction between states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or any other party. Whenever we discuss cooperative federalism, the Prime Minister always promotes the idea that people should trust the government because the power lies within them and within us.”
Getting people’s trust was the first step and no state could differ from that.
“You can’t say Modi, you’re doing this wrong because the state government does not approve of this method,” she said. It’s not disapproving at all. Being a former chief minister, the prime minister’s approach is not only to get appointed but to win a person’s trust through everything he does.”
Additionally, the Finance Minister stated that tax money was just as valuable to him as his own money. For the sake of the common cause, I must utilize it to the fullest extent possible. There is no way the money will be spent on anything else but the common cause. Thus, even as a move, the last one of the slogans would be: Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.”
According to her, the government’s approach is to empower citizens, to give them their basic house, toilets, opportunities, to give them access to a bank, to give them a small amount of loans to start their own businesses, and to let them not have to obtain attestation from government officials or district collectors to do so. As well, he should not pledge that little gold that his wife might have, and even if he does not have any, search for someone who can guarantee him. There is a government guarantee in most of the schemes like mudra.”