CHENNAI: Finance minister D Jayakumar presented his first budget in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday. Here are the highlights from the budget proposal:
1. In and around Chennai city, nine important roads inter-connecting major highways (of a total length of 141.60 km) have been identified for laning / six laning and improvements at a cost of Rs 744 crore. Out of these, works for Rs 232.20 crore will be taken up in the first phase during 2017-18.
2. The Chennai Peripheral Ring Road at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore is under the consideration of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The land acquisition for Section I of the proposed Chennai Peripheral Ring Road, i.e., Northern Port Access Road from Ennore Port to Thatchur on NH5 has commenced and Rs 951 crore has been sanctioned for this project.
3. Three Metro Rail corridors have been included in the JICA Rolling Plan.
4. Coastal Tourism Circuits in Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Rameswaram, Manapadu and Kanyakumari will be developed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
5. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation will soon launch a project for promoting culture and heritage tourism as a joint venture with Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation. Under this project, amenities and tourist facilities will be upgraded to attract more domestic and international tourists.
6. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) in association with State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, will establish a Plastic Industries Park in Ponneri taluk of Tiruvallur district at an investment of Rs 264 crore. The Central government has approved the Medi Park Project, to be established on 330 acres of land in Kancheepuram district at an estimated cost of Rs 130 crore. Tamil Nadu Newsprints and Papers Limited, a leading State PSU, will expand the capacity of its second unit with a total investment of Rs 2,100 crore.
7. To make medicines affordable, the use of generic drugs will be promoted and Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation would set up 10 sales outlets to sell generic medicines. Such generic drug selling stores will also be put up at major locations in towns and rural areas by cooperative institutions. This initiative will substantially reduce the burden of public.
8. The budget gives special focus on agriculture, fisheries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. Special measures to boost the MSME sector including allocations for all major schemes—are already being implemented.