CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the unconditional release of Rs 5,110 crore in central funds pending under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Sharing the stage with the Prime Minister at IIT Madras, Vijay highlighted the state’s pending education funds and urged the union government to clear the amount without imposing conditions.
Vijay said his government aims to make TN a $1.5-trillion economy by 2036 by prioritising innovation, investment, and infrastructure, while ensuring that the benefits of the progress reach every district beyond Chennai. He emphasised the role of states in the country’s development, noting that Tamil Nadu has consistently contributed to India’s economic, social and cultural progress. “Strong states make a strong India,” he added.
The CM’s statements came as part of a wider appeal for central support for Tamil Nadu’s education, transport and infrastructure projects, as the PM rolled out and laid foundation stones for various development projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore across the state on Sunday.
Welcoming the inauguration of the Rs 4,900-crore Chennai Metro Phase II stretch (Poonamallee-Vadapalani), Vijay stressed that growth shall not remain confined to the capital’s corridor. He urged Modi to accord immediate clearance and funding for Chennai Metro Phase III,
‘Development must reach everyone’
The Phase III of Chennai Metro will cover nearly 65 kilometres across three proposed routes—Chennai Airport to Kilambakkam, Poonamallee to Sunguvarchatram, and Koyambedu to Pattabiram.
Calling on the centre to re-evaluate and sanction metro transit networks for Coimbatore and Madurai (TN’s key industrial regions), Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay also pressed for expedited approvals for the cross-border Bommasandra-Hosur metro corridor connecting industrial belts across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Beyond urban transit, Vijay urged the union government to accelerate clearances and funding for the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking initiative to ensure long-term agrarian water security, while pitching for dedicated high-speed rail corridors linking Chennai with Coimbatore and Kanniyakumari.
“Development must reach the last person in society. We look forward to continuous support from the union government to propel Tamil Nadu into the forefront of national growth,” said Vijay.
Making the most of having the PM on the same stage, he called for the priority approval of key highway projects, including six-laning works on major NH stretches and an elevated corridor between Madhavaram and Sholavaram.
He also requested early approval for the use of Tamil in the proceedings of the Madras High Court, noting that the state Assembly’s resolution on the same had been sent for presidential assent.