SEKAR REPORTER

Court News from Madras High Court

P.WILSON MP’s SPEECH ON DEMAND TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR PENDING PUBLIC PROJECTS IN THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU

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P.WILSON MP’s SPEECH ON DEMAND TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR PENDING PUBLIC PROJECTS IN THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU

Thank you, Chairman Sir.

I rise to bring to the attention of the Union Government through this August House that several important public projects in Tamil Nadu have been stalled due to the refusal of the Union Government to sanction its eligible and entitled funds.

Firstly, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) Phase II Project, inaugurated by the Hon’ble UnionHome Minister in 2020, with a projected cost of Rs. 63,246 crores, has been pending for the clearance and approval of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for the last three years.

I request the Hon’ble Union finance minister to allocate the accepted 50% of the project cost, amounting to Rs. 31,623 crores expeditiously.

Secondly, the Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the Coimbatore, Madurai, and Trichy metro rail projects have also been submitted to the Union Government and are pending approval for many months.

Thirdly, with regard to Tamil Nadu’s request for releasing Rs. 37,907 crores from the NDRF fund after the two natural calamities in last December, a mere Rs. 276 crores have been released by the Union Government.

I request the Hon’ble Union Home Minister to release at least Rs 3,000 crores immediately as an interim measure to undertake restoration and relief works in Tamilnadu.

Fourthly, several dues from the Government of India are pending to be released to the Government of Tamil Nadu including:

• Rs. 3,403 crores towards CMR Subsidy & Intra State Movement Reimbursement
• Rs. 78 crores towards Home Guards
• Rs. 188 crores towards Railway Police
• Rs. 138 crores towards Special Police Battalion at Tihar Jail
• Rs. 52 crores towards ESI Scheme

Fifthly, the Samagra Shiksha integrated scheme for school education, the Project Approval Board has allocated Rs. 3,533 Crore for the year 2023-2024 and Rs 3,586 Crore for fiscal year 2024-2025 to the State of Tamil Nadu with Union Govt contribution of 60%. However, not even a single rupee is released.

I take this opportunity to remind the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister that India is a Union of States and India’s constitution contemplates cooperative federalism between the States and the Union. The Union has to be fair in its fiscal allocation and devolution of funds to the States. Tamil Nadu and its people are being penalized for political reasons and receiving discriminatory treatment. The refusal of the Union Government to fund projects in Tamil Nadu and release owed funds is in violation of the constitution and counterproductive.The Hon’ble Union Finance Minister has to remember that Tamil Nadu’s growth is India’s growth.

Therefore, through this August House, I urge the Hon’ble Prime Minister to step in and direct the concerned ministries to approve all the pending projects and release the entitled funds due to Tamil Nadu without further delay.

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