Chennai, 17 October (H.S.) : Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu delivered a sharp critique of the Union Government, accusing it of deliberately withholding the state’s rightful share of funds, labeling the action as political vendetta. The Minister, who vowed to continue protests to secure resources for development, warned that the people of Tamil Nadu would respond appropriately in the upcoming elections.

Minister Thennarasu highlighted several crucial projects impacted by the alleged denial of funds. He stated that Tamil Nadu was entitled to Rs. 4,000 crores but only received Rs. 450 crores, which was designated for the Right to Education scheme, covering costs like teachers' salaries. He asserted that the Union Government is purposefully, refusing to release funds to Tamil Nadu, despite knowing the importance of these allocations. Beyond education, he cited a significant impact on drinking water projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission, where Rs. 3,407 crores remain pending from the Union Government.

The Minister also criticized the central allocation for infrastructure, drawing a comparison with other states, National Highways: The Union Government announced 8 National Highways, with Uttar Pradesh receiving three, totaling an allotment of Rs. 11,846 crores, and Gujarat receiving one highway with funding of Rs. 10,000 crores. In stark contrast, Tamil Nadu did not receive a single new National Highway announcement. Over the past three years, Tamil Nadu was allotted Rs. 19,068 crores for railway projects, while Uttar Pradesh alone received a larger sum of Rs. 19,758 crores.

Additionally, the Minister mentioned that 75 lakh women have been denied funds under the MGNREGA scheme, and noted that one lakh houses and a further 24,000 houses are being built using only state funds. He concluded his accusations with a clear warning : People are watching and they will respond in the right way in the coming elections.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary