Chennai, May 2 (UNI) Senior BJP Leader and Union Finance Minister on Friday said the ruling DMK was trying to gain political mileage by taking credit for Centre's announcement to hold caste census.
Talking to reporters after honouring UPSC achievers from Tamil Nadu at an event organized by a private IAS coaching academy here, she said it was an attempt to gain political mileage on DMK claiming victory on Centre's announcement to hold caste census.
She also claimed that caste atrocities has been on the rise in Tamil Nadu and urged the state government to maintain equality.
"It still persists in TN...equality should be ensured in the State", she added.
Dismissing the theory that GST was affecting the middle class, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said the same old tax still continues in GST.
It was wrong to state that tax was being levied on items used in day-to-day life the poor and the middle class after introduction of GST, she added.
The tax rate has come down now when compared to the past, she added.
Stating that she could not take any unilateral decision on GST matters, the Union Finance Minister said Finance Ministers of all states were the members/representatives of the GST Council and the decisions were taken based on their views.
Mrs.Nirmala said after implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations more students from other sections got a chance in bureaucracy and from 1950 to 2011, 679 officers in Tamil Nadu have become IAS officers clearing UPSC exams.
"I am told that between 2011 and 2024, 915 people have been selected from Tamil Nadu for civil services, not just IAS, IFS, IPS, but also others like IRS and so on. This number has been increasing always and has not come down...This is not sufficient. More youth from TN should try to join the bureaucracy by taking UPSC exams", she added.
The State has very high quality officers. The administrative services have seen a large number of officers from Tamil Nadu cadre, who do extremely well in finance, she added.
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