Tamil Nadu is determined to work constructively with the Centre, says Vijay

Address: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 11th meeting of the NITI Aayog Council of Governors in New Delhi on Thursday (June 11, 2026).

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday (June 11, 2026) balanced calls for greater autonomy for the state and assured cooperation, saying his government will work constructively with the Center even as it protects the interests and aspirations of the state.

In his maiden address at the 11th meeting of the NITI Aayog Board of Governors chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Mr. Vijay said that Tamil Nadu fully supports national aspirations and believes that a developed India can be built only through empowered states, cooperative federalism and inclusive development. “The people of Tamil Nadu have entrusted our government with a historic mandate based on transparent governance, social justice, inclusive growth, youth empowerment and equitable development. We are determined to work constructively with the Union Government while firmly safeguarding the interests and aspirations of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Pending funds

The Chief Minister demanded an early release of pending funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme of ₹3,284 crore, without any conditions and without linking it to the implementation of the National Education Policy or insisting on a trilingual policy.

He urged the Center to provide committed Central Government assistance of ₹ 2,283.40 crore for Combined Water Supply Program III. Hogenakkal phase and authorized employment generating activities under VB-G RAM-G for State Government Rural Housing Schemes.

Opposition to NEET

He made it clear that Tamil Nadu opposes the National Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate medical and dental courses as its introduction has adversely affected students from rural and socio-economically disadvantaged families. He urged the Center to allow Tamil Nadu to fill all state quota seats in MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses solely on the basis of Class XII marks.

He also sought the declaration of ISRO’s Space Manufacturing Center at Kulasekarapattinam as the National Space Manufacturing Center, which among other things would facilitate the production of propellants and launch vehicles and help the nation tap into the global space economy. Mr. Vijay also asked for setting up a second AIIMS in Tamil Nadu at Coimbatore, for which he said the state government would provide land.

Work mission

He envisioned a youth skills and employment mission under which five thousand youths would undergo scholarship-supported internships and vocational training in new technologies at the district level annually. He urged the Center to protect the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay and guarantee their safety and security and ensure the release of their fishing boats (from detention in Sri Lanka). Mr. Vijay also sought increased support for permanent flood mitigation infrastructure in coastal cities and for a comprehensive zero-casualty disaster management mission.

The state was working to become a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036, reflecting the strength of its diversified economy and the productivity of its workforce, underscoring its commitment to a developed India by 2047. Tamil Nadu’s rapid economic growth also required timely development of key national highway and rail corridors, Mr. Vijay said, to attack the Centre. Chengalpattu-Tiruchi section of GST road (NH-32); Tiruchi (Panjapur)-Jeeyapuram-Karur section of NH-81; and the Karur-Coimbatore section of NH-81, in addition to the elevated corridor from Madhavaram to Sholavaram (NH-87) and the high-speed rail corridor from Chennai to Kanniyakumari.

He also asked the Center to declare Thirukkural as national literature. Mr. Vijay called on Mr. Modi on the sidelines of the meeting.

Published – 11 Jun 2026 22:13 IST