Replying to AIADMK MLA Agri SS Krishnamurthy during the debate on the Revised Budget and Revised Agriculture Budget 2026-27, Marie Wilson said budgetary allocations should be assessed against revised estimates and actual expenditure rather than Budget Estimates alone.

He noted that under the previous DMK government, the School Education Department's allocation of Rs 44,042 crore in the 2024-25 Budget Estimate was revised to Rs 40,412 crore, with actual expenditure standing at Rs 38,759 crore. Likewise, the 2025-26 allocation of Rs 46,766 crore was revised to Rs 43,192 crore, while actual spending stood at Rs 42,351 crore.

"For 2026-27, the Interim Budget had earmarked Rs 8,176 crore towards non-salary expenditure for school education. In the Revised Budget, we have increased it to Rs 8,203 crore. We have not reduced funds. The government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will never compromise on school education or any form of education," Wilson said.

Earlier, Krishnamurthy alleged that the revised Budget had lowered the overall allocation for the School Education Department and accused the government of repackaging AIADMK-era welfare schemes under new names. Citing the free bicycle, laptop and goat distribution schemes, he asked, "You promised change. Is this the change?"

Ministers R Nirmalkumar and Aadhav Arjuna rejected the charge, maintaining that no welfare scheme had been discontinued. Aadhav Arjuna said the government had retained Amma Unavagam without renaming it and strengthened its functioning through additional financial support.

AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said the controversy could have been avoided had the government retained the original names of existing schemes, while DMK deputy opposition leader KN Nehru defended the continuation of Amma Unavagam during the previous regime and disputed claims that it had received exclusive government funding.