Wooing the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 24 February, said the state was allocated higher funds and projects with huge investments under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
However, in his 15 minute speech, he avoided any reference to the strong demand from state parties for setting up a Cauvery Management Board, as directed by the Supreme Court, to which Chief Minister K Palaniswami made a reference in his welcome address at a function in Chennai.
Modi was in Chennai to launch the Tamil Nadu government’s subsidised scooter scheme, named Amma Two Wheeler Scheme, for working women as a part of 70th birth anniversary of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
The Prime Minister also planted a tree sapling and inaugurated the campaign to plant 70 lakh saplings in the state.
Beginning his speech in Tamil saying he was proud to stand on the soil of great poet and freedom fighter Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi, PM Modi said he bows his head to Tamil culture and language.
Noting that around 9.5 lakh women in Tamil Nadu benefitted out of the Central government's free cooking gas scheme, he said that over Rs 24,000 crore worth of projects were implemented by the Central government in Tamil Nadu after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the Centre.
The Central government has sanctioned Rs 3,700 crore for the Chennai Metro Rail project, Modi added.
Taking a dig at the earlier Congress-led government at the Centre, the Prime Minister said that under the previous regime, Tamil Nadu got just Rs 81,000 crore under the 13th Finance Commission whereas under the NDA regime, the state got around Rs 180,000 crore under the 14th Finance Commission allocation.
Tamil Nadu got Rs 700 crore during 2016-17 and Rs 200 crore during 2017-18 under the Rural Housing Scheme, while for urban housing, over Rs 6,000 crore had been given to the state.
The Many Moods of Jayalalithaa
Modi saod around Rs 2,600 crore had been given under the crop insurance scheme.
Referring to the long coastline, he said the Central government has given Rs 100 crore to Tamil Nadu for converting 750 fishing boats to long-liners for deep sea fishing.
Underlining the importance of woman in a family and society, Modi said empowering a woman is empowering the whole family. Around Rs 416,000 crore has been given under the Mudra loan scheme, of which 70 percent is for women.
Palaniswami utilised the presence of Modi on the dais and requested him to take necessary steps to set up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee as per the apex court's order in the Cauvery river water dispute case.
Modi Launches Two-Wheeler Scheme
Modi said the women of India are coming out of their age-old shackles and seeking self-employment. The subsidised two-wheeler scheme is part of the AIADMK's 2016 poll promise.
Under the scheme, the government would provide 50 percent subsidy subject to a maximum of Rs 25,000 for the purchase of two-wheelers by working women.
Modi Receives Warm Welcome in Chennai
Welcoming the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the state government continues to follow the footsteps of Jayalalithaa.
Earlier, Modi was received at the Chennai airport by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Palaniswami, and Panneerselvam.
From the airport, he went to naval base INS Adyar by a helicopter, from where he went by road to Kalaivanar Arangam. A large number of people had gathered on the pavement along Modi's route to Kalaivanar Arangam and greeted him.
(With inputs from IANS)
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