CHENNAI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said tax devolution to Tamil Nadu increased from Rs 62,000 to Rs 1.19 crore — an increase of 91% — in the last eight years.“The Modi-led Union government has paid immense attention to the state’s development. In 2009-2014, the average tax devolution to the state was Rs 62,000 crore, but it has now risen to Rs 1,19,455 crore,” Shah said at a private event here.
Similarly, grants in aid to the state during the UPA regime was Rs 35,000 crore, and increased to Rs 95,734 crore under the Modi government, which is a 171% growth, he said.Shah added that in 2009-10, Tamil Nadu received Rs 928 crore as finance commission grant, and the same has been increased to Rs 6,000 crore during Modi’s regime. Shah said the PM has given TN the biggest opportunity to attract investment in the defence sector by introducing the TN defense industry corridor, which connects Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Salem, and Hosur.
“Be it making policies for the coal sector, commercial mining sector, start-ups, or for pushing the banking sector ahead, the Union government has introduced effective and transparent policies,” he said. “To build national highways in Tamil Nadu, the government has spent Rs 8,700 crore. Similarly, in the Bharatmala project, Rs 91,570 crore are being spent to build 2,800 km of roads. On the other hand, 64 additional projects worth Rs 47,589 crore have been given to Tamil Nadu,” he said.
To meet power demands, the Neyveli Thermal Power Project, with a capacity of 1,000 MW is being built at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, and Rs 3,770 crore has been spent for the Chennai Metro phase 1 expansion project, added Shah.He also felicitated outstanding employees of India Cements and congratulated managing director N Srinivasan and his team on the occasion of India Cements’ platinum jubilee.