Tamil Nadu [India], October 17 : Tamil Nadu Finance Minister, Thangam Thennarasu, slammed the Union Government for deliberately denying the state of its rightful share of funds. Calling it a "political vendetta", he vowed to continue protests to secure resources for development.
The FM highlighted that Tamil Nadu was entitled to Rs. 4,000 crores, but the Union Government released only Rs. 450 crores, meant for the Right to Education.
"The fund for education from the Union Government is for teachers' salary, Children's education and it's all known to the Union Government, but purposefully, the Union Government is refusing to release funds to Tamil Nadu," he said.
Furthermore, he underlines the concern of clean drinking water, stating that the drinking water projects under the Jal Jeevan mission were also impacted, as Rs. 3,407 crores are still pending from the Union Government.
"Not only education, but also for drinking water, too, in Jal Jeevan, 3407 crores rupees have still not been released by the Union Government. We state that the government itself releases both state and union funds for the project. We carry both State and union funds, and it's a pressure given by the Union government," he added.
Thennarasu firmly said that the Union Government announced 8 National Highways and Uttar Pradesh got three of them with a funding of Rs. 11,846 crores. Gujarat received Rs. 10,000 crores for one National Highway, but Tamil Nadu did not get a single highway.
"UP alone has 3 NH with allotment of Rs 11846 crore. Gujarat was announced 1 NH, which is allotted with 10 thousand crores. Not even one NH is being announced for Tamil Nadu," he stated.
Further criticising the funding for infrastructure, he said that the Union Government have also denied railway projects, restricting the development of the state.
"Over the past three years, Tamil Nadu has been allotted Rs. 19,068 crores for railway projects, but Uttar Pradesh alone receives Rs. 19758 crores," he said.
He highlighted housing schemes and Metro Rail projects, stating that one lakh houses were built in Tamil Nadu using the state fund, with another 24,000 in progress. He also mentioned that 75 lakh women have been denied funds in Mthe ANREGA scheme
"People are watching and they will respond in the right way in the coming elections," he concluded.