CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release ₹5,110 crore in pending central government funds allocated to the state under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), stressing that the money should be disbursed without additional conditions.
Vijay raised the issue while sharing the stage with Modi during the Prime Minister’s visit to Chennai on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of central financial support for Tamil Nadu’s school education system and sought the release of the outstanding amount.
The demand comes amid a continuing disagreement between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre over the implementation of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, which is linked to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Centre has linked the release of Samagra Shiksha funds to Tamil Nadu’s participation in the PM-SHRI scheme. However, the state has opposed the conditions associated with the arrangement, particularly in the context of its existing two-language policy and differences over the NEP’s three-language formula.
Vijay’s appeal reflects the state government’s position that the pending education funds should be released without making them conditional on accepting the separate scheme.
Apart from education funding, the Chief Minister used the occasion to present several proposals aimed at strengthening Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure and economic development.
He sought early approval for Chennai Metro Rail Phase III and urged the Centre to reconsider proposed metro projects in Coimbatore and Madurai. He also called for support for an inter-state metro connection between Hosur in Tamil Nadu and Bommasandra in Karnataka.
Vijay further pressed for faster progress on highway expansion, high-speed rail corridors connecting Chennai with Coimbatore and Kanniyakumari, and the proposed Godavari–Cauvery river-linking project.
He also requested approval for the use of Tamil in proceedings of the Madras High Court, an issue on which a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly has been sent for presidential assent.
Speaking about the state’s long-term ambitions, Vijay said his government aims to build a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036. He emphasised that development should extend beyond Chennai and benefit people across all districts of Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister welcomed the inauguration of the Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro Phase II, a project valued at approximately ₹4,900 crore.
During the visit, the Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore across Tamil Nadu.
The release of the pending ₹5,110 crore under Samagra Shiksha remains a key issue between the state and the Centre, with Vijay seeking the funds without additional conditions.
