Stalin Urges Centre to Fulfill Tamil Nadu's Development Dreams in Union Budget 2024-25

Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged the central government to address the developmental needs of Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Union Budget 2024-25. Key projects like the Chennai Metro Rail (Phase 2), the Tambaram-Chengalpattu expressway, and tax relief for middle-class families are among the state's primary concerns.

Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday expressed hope that the Centre would fulfill the expectations of the people of the state by clearing Tamil Nadu-specific projects in the Union budget 2024-25.

For the past three years, the Centre has ''not released funds'' for the Chennai Metro Rail (Phase 2) project, Stalin said and listed other proposals including the pending sanction for the Tambaram-Chengalpattu elevated expressway corridor.

In a post on social media platform X, the chief minister highlighted the people's expectations from the Union Budget, saying that for about 10 years, middle-class families have been hoping that their income tax burden would be reduced and tax relief provided to them.

Among the state's expectations, he listed the approval for Metro Rail projects in Coimbatore and Madurai, allocation of adequate funds for already announced railway projects in Tamil Nadu and increasing the expenditure limit under the Centre's rural and urban housing schemes (PM Awas Urban/Gramin schemes).

'I believe that the union government will fulfill the expectations of the Tamil Nadu people,' Stalin said in his post. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on July 23.

(With inputs from agencies.)