Three-fold hike in allocation for TN, yet some cry over funds: PM’s dig at Stalin
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said there had been a substantial increase in Central funds allocated to Tamil Nadu’s development under the BJP rule compared to the previous UPA government.
Letters from TN never signed in Tamil
In a veiled reference to CM MK Stalin’s Tamil language push, PM Modi said, “I sometimes receive letters from Tamil Nadu leaders that surprise me — none of them bears signatures in Tamil. If they truly take pride in their culture, they should at least sign in Tamil.”
Guarantee our Parl representation: Stalin
CM Stalin escalated his stance on the delimitation issue, saying, “Standing on Tamil soil, the PM must pledge that our state’s parliamentary seat share remains unchanged in percentage terms.”
He inaugurated key infrastructure projects worth Rs 8,300 crore, including Pamban Rail Bridge, India’s first vertical lift sea bridge in Rameswaram. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin skipped the event. The Prime Minister’s visit — seen as a campaign pitch ahead of next year’s state elections — blended development with political messaging.
During his address, Modi revealed that Tamil Nadu had received three times more Central funds in the past decade compared to the pre-2014 period. “Despite this, some cry over funds,” he said.
He specifically highlighted the dramatic increase in railway investments, noting that while Tamil Nadu received only Rs 900 crore annually for rail projects before 2014, the current railway budget for the state exceeded Rs 6,000 crore. “This reflects our government’s commitment to Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure development,” Modi said after inaugurating the sea bridge.
Taking a dig at Stalin over the ongoing language row, the PM said, “I sometimes receive letters from Tamil Nadu leaders that surprise me — none of them bear signatures in Tamil.”
“If they truly take pride in their culture, they should at least sign in Tamil,” he said, adding the BJP government at the Centre was continuously working to ensure that the Tamil language and heritage reached every corner of the world.
He urged the DMK government to introduce medical education in Tamil, arguing this would help students from poorer backgrounds pursue medical careers.
Detailing the Centre’s welfare initiatives, Modi shared that over 12 lakh pucca houses had been built in Tamil Nadu under the PM Awas Yojana, while nearly 1.11 crore rural families had received piped water connections for the first time. On infrastructure development, he noted the construction of more than 4,000 km of roads in the state since 2014.
The PM also emphasised the importance of the blue economy in India’s growth, revealing that the Centre had facilitated the return of more than 3,700 Indian fishermen from Sri Lanka, including over 600 last year. “We are committed to strengthening Tamil Nadu’s fisheries infrastructure and supporting our fishing communities,” he added.
Stalin, meanwhile, escalated his stance on the delimitation issue, demanding PM’s guarantee that states like Tamil Nadu won’t lose parliamentary representation due to population control successes.
“Standing on Tamil soil, the PM must pledge that our state’s parliamentary seat share remains unchanged in percentage terms,” Stalin said. He warned that the impending delimitation exercise threatened to penalise population-controlled states, urging Modi to “allay Tamil Nadu’s fears through a constitutional amendment”.
Nation