Centre’s delay in releasing fund affects welfare schemes, says Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister criticizes Centre's delay in releasing funds for welfare schemes, urges for increased support.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Saturday said the Centre’s delay in releasing funds had a direct bearing on the implementation of welfare schemes and the State government was not able to ensure that the benefits of the schemes reached people.

“The Dravidian Model government is fully committed to ensuring that the welfare schemes reach people in every corner of the State. The State government promptly releases its share. But there is a delay on the part of the Centre,” he said while addressing the meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHA).

Mr. Stalin also made a strong case for increasing to ₹3.50 lakh the amount sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Aawas Yojana (Prime Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme) per house as the price of the construction materials and labour cost had increased. “We have already asked the Centre to increase the amount. As we have not received any response, let us adopt a resolution and send it to the Centre,” he said. Mr. Stalin said the DMK government was effectively implementing the scheme and a total of 3,43,958 houses had been constructed. 

He also urged the Centre to release the balance amount of ₹2,118 crore due to the State for implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. “Tamil Nadu had provided jobs for 59 days while the national average is 52 days in 2023-24. The government is not able to pay salaries after November 2024. I have already written to the Prime Minister. Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi and Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department had met the Union Ministers and pressed for release of funds,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said the State was in the forefront in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) (Prime Minister’s Village Road Scheme). “The Centre had allowed link road facilities in villages with more than 500 people on the basis of the 2011 census and Tamil Nadu has only seven such villages.  “Permission from the forest department is necessary to lay roads in these villages. The Centre should grant permission to improve the existing roads in those villages,” he said.