Address at Chennai programme
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, speaking in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a welfare-schemes launch event in Chennai worth ₹13,000 crore, said the Union and state governments should work in coordination so that the benefits are felt in people’s lives. He welcomed the Prime Minister and thanked him for inaugurating the Chennai Metro Rail project.
Tamil Nadu’s development focus
The Chief Minister highlighted Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage and the Tamil language, and said the state government is pursuing inclusive growth with a focus on education, healthcare, agriculture, fishermen’s welfare and overall economic development. He said welfare measures are being implemented keeping in mind children, women, transgender persons, farmers and weavers.
Economic goals and spread of growth
Vijay said Tamil Nadu is working towards creating new opportunities and targeting a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036 through agriculture and information technology initiatives. He added that innovation, investment and infrastructure are being prioritised, and that the government aims to ensure development reaches every district beyond Chennai.
Key requests placed before the Prime Minister
Among the demands raised were early approval for a 65-km Chennai Metro Phase 3, reconsideration of the Coimbatore and Madurai metro proposals, and permission for the Hosur–Bommasandra inter-state metro link. He also sought upgrades of select highways to six-lane roads, declaration of the Godavari–Kaveri link as a national project, immediate release of ₹5,110 crore under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and recognition of Tamil as a language of proceedings in the High Court.
