Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Tamil Nadu’s development remains a priority and that the Union government would provide all necessary support. He was speaking at an event held at IIT Madras in Chennai.
At the function, projects worth about Rs 13,000 crore—covering national highways and port infrastructure among others—were launched, dedicated to the nation, and had foundation stones laid. Modi said some of the initiatives would make daily travel faster for the public, while others would strengthen industry and trade and create jobs for the state’s youth.
The Prime Minister also said he visited the brain research centre at IIT Madras, noting that the work could open new opportunities in public health. He referred to experiences in Chennai including the metro project and a temple visit.
Modi said national progress depends on the growth of states, adding that his experience as a chief minister helped him understand state expectations. He recalled working with former Tamil Nadu chief ministers including Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, and later with leaders such as Jayalalithaa, O Panneerselvam, Edappadi K Palaniswami and M K Stalin.
On urban development, he said urbanisation should be seen as an opportunity and stressed the role of public transport. Citing metro expansion across India, he said metro services have grown from five cities in 2014 to 25 cities now, and that Chennai Metro expansion would help ordinary commuters, students and senior citizens travel more easily.
