The Centre has responded to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s allegations of fund withholding, asserting significant investments and developments in the state across various sectors. According to sources within the Union government, a total of ₹2 lakh crore has been allocated for the development of national highways in Tamil Nadu alone.
Dismissing claims of inadequate funding, government sources emphasized substantial increases in budget allocations over the past decade. Specifically, allocations for railway development in Tamil Nadu surged from an average of ₹879 crore per year between 2009 and 2014 to ₹6,331 crore slated for the state in the 2024-25 budget. This surge has facilitated the construction of new railway lines, electrification projects, operational expansions, station upgrades, and enhanced passenger amenities across Tamil Nadu.
The total length of highways in the state has expanded significantly, increasing from 4,985 km in 2014 to 6,806 km presently. Major highway projects totaling 2,094 km, valued at ₹64,704 crore, have been awarded since 2014, with an additional 1,329 km under implementation at a cost of ₹48,425 crore.
Furthermore, the Centre has approved five projects worth ₹4,000 crore in Tamil Nadu, two of which have already been completed. Investments in major ports have reached ₹10,168 crore, while under the Fishery and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), 64 projects worth ₹1,574 crore have been sanctioned, with 34 projects already completed.
Housing initiatives have also seen substantial support, with ₹20,000 crore released under the PM Awas Yojana for the construction of over 15 lakh houses in the past decade. The PM SVANidhi scheme has disbursed more than ₹670 crore in loans to street vendors, benefiting over five lakh vendors in Tamil Nadu.
In addition, welfare schemes such as the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi have disbursed ₹11,000 crore to 46 lakh farmers, while the Jal Jeevan Mission has provided tap water connections to more than one crore households in the state. Significant investments have also been made under initiatives like PM Ujjwala and PM Matru Vandana Yojana, with ₹700 crore each allocated to Tamil Nadu.
Underlining the commitment to rural employment, the Centre has spent ₹13,392.89 crore under MNREGA in Tamil Nadu alone, constituting 12.71% of the total expenditure nationwide in the fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, 11 medical colleges have been sanctioned and fully funded, amounting to ₹2,145 crore, ensuring enhanced healthcare infrastructure across the state.
Sources By Agencies
