Fulfil five major demands in budget: CM Stalin to centre

Ahead of the union budget on July 23, Chief Minister MK Stalin outlined five key demands for the state on Sunday, which include the release of funds for Chennai Metro Rail project which has been pending for three years, approval for a flyover expressway between Tambaram and Chengalpattu and reduction in income tax burden of middle-class households.

In a post on X, Stalin called for approval of the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects, expediting announced railway projects in Tamil Nadu and increase in expenditure limits for houses constructed under rural and urban housing schemes.

Responding to Stalin’s demands on X, BJP state president K Annamalai said over the last 10 years, the centre has provided schemes worth Rs 10.76 lakh crore to the state, which amounts to double the direct tax contribution of Tamil Nadu. He criticised Stalin for posting a message written ‘without understanding’ the roles of the central and state governments.

Annamalai said the centre has been funding projects like the expansion of East Coast Road and the Maduravoyal-Port elevated corridor amounting to Rs 9,386 crore and Rs 5,800 crore respectively. He also said the centre has allocated Rs 2 lakh crore for NH projects in Tamil Nadu over the last 10 years and Rs 6,331 crore for railway projects against the Rs 800 crore allocated for railway projects during 2009-2014 by the UPA government.