CHENNAI: Setting out a series of demands spanning infrastructure, education, transport, and water management, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 5,110 crore in pending school education funds without conditions, reconsider the proposed Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects and expedite approval for Chennai Metro Rail Phase III.
Sharing the stage with Modi for the first time, Vijay thanked him for inaugurating the Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II and sought early approval for the network's third phase, including proposed extensions from the airport to Kilambakkam and from Poonamallee to Sunguvarchatram.
"Under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, an amount of Rs 5,110 crore of the central share is due to Tamil Nadu. I request the government of India to release the amount without any conditions," Vijay said.
The request comes amid a standoff between the Centre and Tamil Nadu over the implementation of the PM-SHRI schools scheme, which is linked to the National Education Policy, 2020. The State has opposed the NEP's three-language formula and retained its two-language policy.
Vijay urged the Centre to reconsider the Metro Rail proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai, citing their importance to the future development and economic growth of western and southern Tamil Nadu. He also sought approval for an inter-State Metro corridor linking Hosur in Tamil Nadu with Bommasandra in Karnataka, saying it would benefit both states.
On water resources, he called for priority to the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project and urged the Centre to declare it a national project. He also sought recognition of Tamil as a language of proceedings in the Madras High Court.
Thanking Modi for announcing high-speed rail corridors connecting Chennai with Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the 2026 Union Budget, Vijay said the projects would benefit the region. He also sought high-speed rail connectivity between Chennai and Coimbatore and between Chennai and Kanniyakumari.
Emphasising the need for Centre-State cooperation, Vijay said, "When the Union and State governments work together, the benefits will reach the people directly."
He said his government was committed to social justice, transparent administration, and inclusive development, with a focus on education, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, and the welfare of children, women, transgender persons, farmers, and weavers.
Vijay said Tamil Nadu was working towards a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2036, with innovation, investment, and infrastructure as key drivers. He stressed that development must reach every district, not just Chennai, and create greater opportunities for young people.