Tamil Nadu CM Stalin meets PM Modi; seeks Rs 18,544 cr funds for Metro

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and sought early release of pending funds for Chennai metro and integrated education initiatives, besides an intervention to protect Tamil fishermen.

The DMK president, who described the meeting as "purposeful", presented a detailed report on three main issues. "The Prime Minister listened patiently," Stalin told reporters after the meeting.

The chief minister sought the speedy release of funds for the Chennai metro project as Rs 18,544 crore has already been spent so far.

The state government wants to start work on the second phase of the Chennai metro and the non-disbursement of the pending dues has "caused a delay in the works, he emphasised.

About the integrated education initiative, Stalin highlighted the hold-up in the first instalment of the 60:40 Centre-State funded programme.

He clarified that while Tamil Nadu has incorporated positive elements of the National Education Policy, it has not accepted the trilingual policy.

"We have asked for a correction in the MoU to explicitly state that there will be no language imposition," the chief minister added.

While discussing the plight of Tamil fishermen facing arrest by the Sri Lankan Navy, Stalin requested Modi's personal intervention while stating that 191 fishing boats and 145 fishermen have been captured.

He sought a resolution of the matter at the upcoming India-Sri Lanka joint committee meeting in Colombo next month.

After his meeting with Modi, Stalin said the prime minister has assured him of considering all three demands.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister later met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, ahead of an opposition rally in Kancheepuram on September 28. He also met the family of CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury who died recently.

Stalin arrived in the national capital on Thursday evening and received a warm welcome from DMK leaders, including members of Parliament T R Baalu, Tiruchi Siva, Dayanidhi Maran, K Kanimozhi, and T Sumathy among others.