Tamil Nadu’s latest budget has outlined a wide set of initiatives spanning sports, education, welfare, technology and healthcare. Among the headline announcements is a plan to set up 10 Olympic special centres across the state with an allocation of Rs 50 crore, aimed at improving high-performance training.
On the welfare front, the government has earmarked Rs 6.6 crore to establish 12 old-age homes—one each in 12 districts. It also announced senior citizens’ recreation centres in five districts in the first phase, and allocated Rs 33 crore for 1,000 mobile geriatric care units across Tamil Nadu.
In education, the Kamarajar breakfast scheme in government schools will be expanded up to Class 8 with Rs 710 crore. The budget also provides Rs 277 crore to supply modern bicycles with helmets and water bottles to five lakh Class 11 students in government schools. A special law college will be set up in Madurai.
The budget includes several women-focused and livelihood measures, including Rs 812 crore for the “Annan Seer” scheme to provide an 8-gram gold coin and a silk saree on women’s wedding day. It also allocates Rs 560 crore for the “Thaimaman gold ring” scheme for babies born in government hospitals, and Rs 23 crore for the “Thai Care” programme for pregnant women.
On technology and skills, the government announced a dedicated AI city named “Arivagam”, featuring an AI university, an international skill development centre and a semiconductor testing lab, with Rs 5 crore allocated. It also earmarked Rs 10 crore to introduce AI and machine learning as a new trade in government ITIs, and said AI training will be provided to five lakh youth in engineering colleges, polytechnics and ITIs by 2031. Additional allocations include Rs 150 crore for the “Vetri Skill Training” scheme, Rs 90 crore for five new ITIs, and Rs 10 crore for a Tiruppur Textiles Technology Centre to promote eco-friendly green garment manufacturing.
