Centre gives a pittance to T.N. despite State ranking 2nd on economic front: CM

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday hit out at the Union government, accusing it of giving a pittance to Tamil Nadu despite the State doing well on the economic front.

Tamil Nadu ranks second in the country on the economic front. The State is the most urbanised in the country and has the most number of industries, he said.

“We have been striving hard for the country’s development and the State requires new highways, railway routes, Metro projects, among other infrastructural projects. Tamil Nadu is one of the major contributors of tax revenue to the Centre, yet the Union government gives us only a pittance,” he said.

‘No new schemes’

Mr. Stalin said Tamil Nadu was not sanctioned any new schemes in the Budget for the last 11 years. “Why? Perhaps, they [the BJP] think that since Tamil Nadu would vote against them, they should not allocate funds. This is the truth and we will emerge victorious,” he said.

Mr. Stalin exuded confidence that the ‘Dravidian Model’ government 2.0 would rule the State again with the people’s support, featuring more schemes and ensuring that the State would continue to lead the country.

Inaugurating 199 projects worth ₹390.44 crore and laying the foundation stone for 24 new projects worth ₹254.29 crore at Tindivanam in Villupuram district, Mr. Stalin said that while the DMK government had been chalking out schemes for the State’s development, the Union government had been consistently working to obstruct Tamil Nadu’s growth.

The recently presented Union Budget was the clearest proof, the Chief Minister said, reiterating that it offered nothing to Tamil Nadu. The Centre had ignored the State’s long-pending demands and development needs, he said.

Mr. Stalin said the BJP usually allocated funds to States during the election year. This was the BJP’s tactic, and they allocated funds to Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. But with Tamil Nadu, which was headed for the elections, the BJP avoided this stunt. This only shows the level of hatred they have towards Tamil and Tamil Nadu, he said.

New portal

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the portal of Unga Kanava Sollunga (http://enkanavu.tn.gov.in).

Under the programme, volunteers will meet the general public, receive a list of their dreams that they want fulfilled and record them digitally.

He also distributed welfare assistance to the tune of ₹43.75 crore to 13,879 beneficiaries.

Ministers M.R.K. Panneerselvam and C.V. Ganesan; Members of Parliament D. Ravikumar (Villupuram) and M.S. Tharaniventhan (Arani); former Ministers K. Ponmudy and Gingee K.S. Masthan; MLAs R. Lakshmanan, A.J. Manikannan and Anniyur Siva; and Collector Sheik Abdul Rahman were present.