Funds to dams: Edappadi Palanisamy lists all issues to PM Modi

The TN government has requested the central government to sanction Rs 500 crore as subsidy for the state government’s kudimaramath scheme for the current financial year. 

Stating that he also demanded that pending central assistance of Rs 17,000 crore be released immediately, the CM said he had also requested the PM to advise the Kerala government to undertake a detailed project report on providing excess water from the Pamba, Achankoil and Vaipar rivers to TN instead of allowing it to drain into the sea.

He also urged the PM to direct the Kerala government to roll back its plans to construct check dams across the Bhavani river. He also stressed the need and importance for setting up the Cauvery tribunal ordered Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery river water committee to handle such issues.

Thanking the PM for sanctioning Rs 200 crore for a special fish breeding scheme for which he had sought assistance when the met Modi last time, Palanisamy said that he also emphasised the need to retrieve 135 boats from Sri Lankan naval custody and the release of 11 fishermen. 

The CM stated that he had again sought exemption for TN from the NEET as it affected rural students. The setting up of an AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in the state were some of the demands mentioned in the memorandum. 

“I have also invited Modi as chief guest for the MGR centenary celebrations which will concluded at Chennai in the last fortnight of December” the CM said adding that he had also extended an invitation to the PM to attend the unveiling of former CM Jayalalithaa’s portrait in the state assembly shortly.

“There were no discussions on politics. I had submitted a memorandum to the PM raising several state-specific issues,” he added. 

The Tamil Nadu CM’s interaction with Modi came five days after former chief minister O Panneerselvam’s meeting with the PM. OPS too had denied discussing politics with Modi. The decision to unveil the portrait in the Assembly was taken at a cabinet meeting in December 2016 chaired by then chief minister O Panneerselvam, who revolted against AIADMK chief VK Sasikala in February, before going on to lead a faction in the ruling party. 

Palaniswami succeeded him as chief minister later that month.