Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, handing over a memorandum with some crucial requests. Top on the list was the release of central funds for the Samagra Shiksha Scheme and getting approval for the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-II, based on a 50:50 equity-sharing model between the state and central governments.
During the 40-minute meeting, Stalin also pressed for a solution to safeguard the traditional fishing rights of Tamil fishermen, requesting the Prime Minister to speed up the release of fishermen and their boats who had been apprehended.
After the meeting, Stalin spoke to reporters, describing the conversation with Modi as a positive one. “It was a pleasure to meet with PM Modi. PM Modi also expressed happiness to us. All in PM Modi’s hands only to make this happy meet as useful meet also,” Stalin told reporters.
The memorandum, he added, had three important requests, the key one being to accelerate the Chennai Metro Phase-II project. Stalin explained that despite Rs 18,564 crore already being spent, progress has slowed down due to pending approvals and fund disbursement from the Union government. “I requested PM Modi to release funds for this without delaying,” he asserted, ANI reported.
He also touched upon the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, under which Tamil Nadu is awaiting central funds. “The Tamil Nadu government has already implemented some good suggestions from the NEP. The Tamil Nadu government is also implementing schemes like free breakfast, which are not implemented in other states. But Tamil Nadu is not accepting to follow the three-language policy, which is on national education policy,” he said.
He also highlighted the state’s stance against any language imposition, calling for changes in the MoU to reflect this. The meeting comes at a crucial time as Tamil Nadu continues to push for key projects and solutions for its fishing community.