CM Stalin to meet PM Modi on Friday regarding fund delays

Chennai, Sep 26 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in Delhi to press for the release of funds due to the state to implement various Central government schemes.

The Chief Minister will reach Delhi on Thursday evening. In a statement on Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's office said that the DMK government has been consistently fighting for the rights of the people of the state.

The statement said that "the struggle was the strength of the DMK" and the party continued to fight for the rights of the people of Tamil Nadu even while holding power.

The Chief Minister will be submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister on various demands of the state in many sectors. The delay in the allocation of Central funds will be a main point of discussion taken up by the Chief Minister during the meeting with the Prime Minister.

The funding for the phase 2 development of the Chennai Metro rail network will be one of the main agendas during the Chief Minister‘s meeting. Another contentious issue that the Chief Minister will take up is the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) relating to the school education department.

It may be recalled that the state government has opposed linking the PM SHRI schools to the release of SSA funds. The Tamil Nadu government has not signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU )with the Central government to establish PM SHRI schools leading to the Centre's delay in releasing the funds.

The Union Education Ministry has withheld the first instalment of Rs 573 crore for Tamil Nadu due to noncompliance with the National Education Policy.

The Tamil Nadu CM had earlier written to the Prime Minister seeking the release of SSA funds and the State School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has also come out against the Centre for penalising the state for not implementing the National Education Policy (NEP).

CM Stalin during his visit to Delhi will also call on the leaders of the Congress and other INDIA bloc members. It may be recalled that the DMK is holding a major public meeting on September 28 at Kancheepuram in which INDIA bloc leaders will participate.

--IANS

aal/dpb