CHENNAI: Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Friday put forth the state government’s wish list to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a pre-budget meeting chaired by her at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. He requested the GOI to include many new railway projects, reiterated the demand for relief assistance for Rs 6,675 crore for areas hit by Cyclone Fengal, funds for the Metro Rail project and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan.
Underscoring the need for new railway lines in industrial areas to catalyse industrial development in the state, Thennarasu requested that the following railway projects in Tamil Nadu should be included in the upcoming budget: Fourth line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu; Tiruppattur – Krishnagiri – Hosur New line; Madurai – Thoothukudi – via – Aruppukkottai (143.5 Kms); Minjur – Tiruvallur – Sriperumpudur– Oragadam – Singaperumalkoil – Maduranthagam; semi-high speed railway corridor to connect Chennai – Salem – Coimbatore with extensions like Salem-Hosur – Bengaluru and Coimbatore – Ernakulam.
Thennarasu also sought approvals for metro rail projects for Madurai and Coimbatore apart from Rs 10,000 crore for metro rail phase-2 in the current year and Rs 16,000 crore in the ensuing year. He also reiterated the state’s demand for disbursal of Rs 2,152 crore towards Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan.
Referring to the havoc played by Cyclone Fengal, the minister said, “The funds under the State Disaster Response Fund are inadequate to meet the immediate relief and long-term restoration needs. So, the GOI should release Rs 6,675 crore under NDRF to meet the temporary and permanent relief and restoration requirements in the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal.”
He said an elevated road between Tambaram and Chengalpattu (NH-32) and from Chengalpattu to Tindivanam should be included in the budget.