The minister, while delivering a lecture on Centre-State relations here, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi without any hesitation had accepted the recommendation of 14th Finance Commission in 2014-15 that 42 per cent of all taxes-- an increase from 32 per cent till then-- should be given to the states, according to the news agency PTI.
“PM Modi fully accepted the Finance Commission (report) and that is why today states get 42% of the amount (tax collected)--now reduced by 41% because J&K is no longer a state. It will soon become... may be some time," the minister said.
Sitharaman delivered a lecture on "Cooperative Federalism: The Path Towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat" organised here by Bharatiya Vichara Kendram in memory of Sangh idealogue P Parameshwaran.
In August 2019, the central government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the state into Union territories.
Last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said Jammu and Kashmir's statehood will be restored after the delimitation process and elections in the region.
“Why should we stop delimitation? Delimitation will happen, followed by elections and then restoration of statehood... I want to be friends with the Kashmiri youth," Shah said.
Recently, the minister informed that elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted once the Election Commission completes the exercise of publishing the revised electoral rolls.
“We have started a political process. I want to assure you that once the work of publishing electoral rolls by the Election Commission is completed, elections will be conducted with full transparency and your own elected representatives will govern here," Shah added.
(With inputs from agencies)
