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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday claimed that the NDA government has tripled its financial allocation to Tamil Nadu compared to the pre-2014 period. Speaking at a public rally in Rameswaram, PM Modi said that funds for railways, roads, and central schemes have significantly increased under his administration, accusing critics of “crying” despite enhanced allocations.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth ₹8,300 crore, including the highly anticipated new Pamban Bridge. He stated that Tamil Nadu’s rail budget alone had now crossed ₹6,000 crore, up from just ₹900 crore before 2014, and that 77 railway stations across the state are being modernised.
“In the last 10 years, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, around 4,000 km of roads were constructed in Tamil Nadu with Central government support,” PM Modi added.
His remarks were aimed at countering repeated accusations by the DMK-led state government that the Centre is withholding funds from Tamil Nadu as a political move. Chief Minister MK Stalin has recently alleged that over ₹2,000 crore was denied to the state, citing its resistance to the New Education Policy.
However, former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram challenged Modi’s claim, calling it misleading. According to Chidambaram, increases in annual budget allocations are expected due to natural economic growth.
“Even a first-year economics student can explain this,” he said on social media. “The GDP is bigger today than before. The central budget and total government expenditure are also larger each year. What matters is not just the numbers, but the proportion of funds allocated relative to GDP or total expenditure.”
Chidambaram also pointed out that the Prime Minister’s argument based on raw figures does not reflect the real value of fund distribution when looked at in context.
As Tamil Nadu continues to push back against the Centre’s policies, the war of words has intensified ahead of upcoming elections. While the BJP showcases its big-ticket projects, the opposition insists on a more balanced and transparent approach to fund allocation.
