Fund states to aid nation’s growth, CM urges Modi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase budgetary allocation for infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu and speed up ongoing projects in the state.

Striking a discordant note with the Prime Minister, who claimed an alltime record high allocation for Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure development projects by the Union government, CM Stalin, who spoke moments earlier at the multi-project inauguration in Pallavaram, said, “It is the unanimous view of the people of the state that the Union Railway Ministry has not been according due importance to Tamil Nadu, the second largest economy of the country, for several years.

“Several railway projects are pending in Tamil Nadu for a long time owing to poor fund allocation in the union budget. So, while announcing new trains, enhance fund allocation and speed up the execution of pending projects.”

“A multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and plural Indian subcontinent will grow only when the union government implements projects necessary for the development of states without delay. The principle of federalism enshrined in the Constitution will also flourish,” the CM said, taking a veiled dig at the Centre for delaying project execution in the state.

Requesting the PM to introduce a new Vande Bharat train from Chennai to Madurai and reduce the fare of Chennai–Coimbatore Vande Bharat train to enable ordinary people to use it, Stalin sought the speedy approval of funds for the second phase of Chennai Metro Rail Project works and support the newly announced Metro Rail for Madurai and Coimbatore.

Seeking a direction from the PM to NHAI for the speeding up of ongoing road projects in the state, Stalin specifically sought the hastening of execution of Chennai–Maduravoyal, Chennai–Tambaram, ECR four laning and Chennai–Kancheepuram– Vellore plus Chennai–Madurai six laning projects. The CM also presented a nine-point memorandum to the PM regarding the implementation of infrastructure development projects in the state and fulfilling its long pending demands like retrieval of Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka.