Tamil Nadu Urges Centre to Approve Metro Rail Project in Madurai

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu recently urged the Union government to allocate Rs 10,000 crore in the current fiscal and Rs 16,000 crore in the next fiscal year for the implementation of the Chennai metro rail project. The minister made this request during the Union government's pre-budget meeting held in Jaisalmer.

While acknowledging the Union government's approval for the long-pending Chennai metro rail Phase 2, Thennarasu expressed concern over the financial strain it has placed on the state. He revealed that Tamil Nadu has already spent Rs. 26,490 crore from its budgetary resources over the past three years on the project.

In addition to Chennai's metro expansion, Thennarasu urged the Centre to approve metro rail projects for Madurai and Coimbatore, highlighting the need for greater urban transport infrastructure in these cities.

The minister also appealed to the Union government not to impose "restrictive or extraneous conditions" on the release of funds for various state schemes. He pointed out that Rs 2,152 crore, approved by the project approval board for the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, remains unreleased, putting at risk the future of 44 lakh students, 2.2 lakh teachers, and over 21,000 staff members.

Thennarasu further requested the release of Rs. 6,675 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to support disaster relief efforts following Cyclone Fengal. This funding would address both temporary and permanent restoration needs in the state.

The state government also called for the sanctioning of new railway lines in industrial zones to boost development and requested the Union government's support for expanding the state's highway infrastructure.

ET