K. Natarajan, leader of the Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) and a DMK ally, said recent tax revisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with Central government norms. He argued that the state’s transport corporations are functioning better now because funds are being released without delay.
He pointed to the women’s free travel scheme in government buses, saying it has received strong public response. Citing a study, he said women are saving up to Rs 900 a month, and added that state subsidies for the scheme help transport corporations maintain financial support. He also noted that similar schemes have begun in other states, including Telangana.
On electricity tariffs, Natarajan said that after the state signed the UDAY power scheme, the Centre requires annual tariff revisions. He said the latest increase was limited and applied only to commercial and industrial categories.
He also said property tax revisions in municipal and corporation areas are linked to eligibility for Central development funds, and claimed the increase in Tamil Nadu is lower than in BJP-ruled states.
Countering this, AIADMK leader and former transport minister M.R. Vijayabaskar alleged that thousands of bus services have been stopped across the state under the DMK government. He claimed maintenance has suffered due to a lack of spare parts, leading to more accidents and deaths, and accused the government of expanding private participation in bus operations and shifting permanent jobs to the private sector while raising power and other taxes.
