Assembly opens with Governor’s address
The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly under Chief Minister Vijay began in Chennai on June 18 with Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s customary address. The Governor opened his speech with greetings in Tamil.
Fiscal stress flagged
In his address, the Governor said the State’s revenue deficit rose from Rs 48,840 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 78,324 crore within a year. He also stated that Tamil Nadu’s total debt has crossed Rs 10 lakh crore, adding that the per-capita debt is over Rs 1 lakh.
Language policy and education
The Governor said the State would continue with the two-language policy, and urged that education funds should not be denied by insisting on a three-language policy. He added that the government would take steps to move education from the Concurrent List to the State List.
Governance priorities and Centre’s support
The address said maintaining public order, upholding rule of law and taking firm action against crimes against women would be key priorities, with a focus on ensuring safety for women and children. The Governor also referred to the Chief Minister’s requests to the Union government on pending financial matters, including seeking approval for metro rail projects in Madurai and Coimbatore.
Protocol and training for new members
Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar welcomed the Governor, who received a ceremonial police guard of honour. The report noted that many ministers and MLAs in the new government are first-timers, and that a two-day orientation programme was arranged through the Assembly Secretariat on legislative procedures and responding to opposition questions.
