Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar

TN CM launches expanded free bus travel for women, issues zero-fare tickets

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday launched the expanded 'Vettri Payanam' -- free bus travel for women -- coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, issuing zero-fare tickets to women passengers at Koyambedu Bus Terminus here. The scheme, originally announced by the chief minister under Rule 110 in the Assembly on August 24, aims to ensure that women across Tamil Nadu are not deprived of social and economic opportunities due to transport costs. Under the expanded initiative, the free travel facility -- previously restricted to ordinary city and town buses and up to 40 km in hilly regions -- has now been extended to cover Express, Limited Stop Services (LSS), Deluxe, Suburban Ordinary (Mofussil Ordinary), and Ghat Ordinary services running over 40 km operated by the state's seven State Transport Corporations (STCs). With this expansion, a total of 12,695 buses will operate 1,68,500 single trips daily under the scheme, benefiting an estimated 84.32 lakh women passengers across th

Two bypolls, and a larger test for Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay

Assembly by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram will offer an early measure of the TVK's electoral strength and put the dynamics of its new alliance in focus

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay announces ₹4,800 crore drinking water projects

Making the announcements under Rule 110, Vijay said the decisions were aimed at strengthening public welfare, improving essential services and protecting democratic rights

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay announces hike in milk procurement price by ₹3 to ₹44

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced major policy decisions regarding a further hike in Aavin milk procurement price for dairy farmers, and also unveiled a multi-crore infrastructure push spanning power, semiconductors, and logistics. Announcing further increase in the Aavin-milk procurement prices, aimed at providing a crucial relief for the dairy farmers across the state, he said the state government has approved a Rs 3 per litre increase in the milk procurement price, raising it from Rs 41 to Rs 44 per litre. The announcement on enhancing the procurement prices comes closely on the heels of an earlier hike announced on August 19 in the Assembly, that had raised the price from Rs 38 to Rs 41. He said the decision to address dairy farmers' growing concerns over rising cattle feed costs and maintenance expenses would entail the state government an additional financial outlay of Rs 60 crore monthly, translating to an annual expenditure of Rs 720 crore. Apart

Govt will abandon plans to set up new airport in Parandur: TN CM Vijay

Chief Minister said the new airport should be located at a place where agricultural land and residential areas are minimally affected

TN CM announces more free buses for women, 3 free cooking gas cylinders

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced expansion of the fare-free bus travel scheme for women and made services such as deluxe and express free for beneficiaries. Making several announcements in the Assembly, Vijay, fulfilling TVK's key electoral assurances announced 3-free cooking gas cylinders and also declared that the Parandur greenfield airport project will be shelved. The project had been strongly opposed by farmers who did not wish to part with their farm lands.

TN places order for 128,499 gold rings for babies born in govt hospitals

The Tamil Nadu government has issued work orders for nearly 1.28 lakh gold rings, costing approximately Rs 220 crore, to two jewellery retail chains under the 'Maternal uncle gold ring scheme' for newborns, a poll promise made by TVK, an official said on Saturday. Over one lakh gold rings are required to implement the scheme for four months and the welfare initiative is set to be launched on September 15, marking the birth anniversary of Dravidian icon CN Annadurai. Children born in government hospitals from June 22, the birthday of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will benefit under this scheme. According to a ballpark estimate, Rs 220 crore would be the cost of the 1,28,499 rings (22-carat) weighing approximately 128.5 kg and the Tamil Nadu government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 755.83 crore for the supply of a total of 4,41,667 rings (for one year). Though the final cost for the initial batch of rings may dynamically vary, the state government has undertaken to pay for t

From cars to cash, CM Vijay announces bonanza for 234 Tamil Nadu MLAs

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay announced government cars for all 234 MLAs, with ₹75,000 a month for a driver, fuel and maintenance, and another ₹25,000 for an office assistant

Tamil Nadu govt extends maternity leave for third child to 365 days

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced extending the maternity leave for its women employees for the birth of their third child from 12 weeks to 365 days, the same duration that they get for the first two children. Currently, married women government employees with fewer than two surviving children are granted 365 days of maternity leave, while those with two or more surviving children receive up to 12 weeks of maternity leave. During the demand for grants to his department, Minister for Human Resources Management, D Sarathkumar told the state Assembly, "Under these circumstances, as the Tamil Nadu government is a welfare-oriented administration prioritising social welfare and women's empowerment, the maternity leave currently provided for the third child of female government employees will be enhanced from 12 weeks to 365 days". The original 90 days of maternity leave was raised to six months in 2011, nine months in 2016, and extended to one year (365 days) in July 2021 by

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay announces full waiver on farm loans for upto ₹75,000

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced full waiver of cooperative farm loans upto Rs 75,000. He further annouced a waiver upto Rs 75,000 for loans ranging between Rs 75,000 and Rs one lakh. Emphasising that agriculture is the backbone of the state and that the prosperity of the nation depended on supporting farmers, he said despite the state facing financial constrains, his government decided to extend additional support of Rs 953.06 crore to farmers. Making an announcement under Rule 110 in the Assembly, Vijay said the government previously waived agricultural loans up to Rs 50,000 within 15 days of taking office in May. This was later expanded to provide full waivers for loans up to Rs 75,000, and a Rs 35,000 waiver for loans exceeding Rs 75,000, benefiting over 14.44 lakh farmers. Following consultations with agricultural unions on August 7, 2026, the government decided to provide additional relief despite current financial constraints and Reserve Bank of .

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay lists key schemes on completion of 100 days in office

Chief Minister said the focus has been on women's safety, farmers' welfare, youth skill development, and transparent administration

TN CM Vijay sets the stage for a long role as govt completes 100 days

Tamil Nadu's new government has made investment and welfare central to its first 100 days, but managing debt and sustaining investor confidence will be the bigger test

Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave: Space firms line up ₹650 cr investments

Agnikul Cosmos and Skyroot Aerospace will set up integration and testing facilities in Thoothukudi, while semiconductor projects add to Tamil Nadu's investment pipeline

Tamil Nadu govt inks 97 MoUs for commitment of over ₹67,000 crore

The Tamil Nadu government inked 97 fresh MoUs for a total commitment of over Rs 67,000 crore, in the presence of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay here on Thursday. The MoUs were exchanged at the TVK government's first "Vettri Tamil Nadu Investors Conclave 2026", marking a major investment milestone since the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam formed the government in May. The pacts signed also in the presence of Industries Minister S Keerthana would create employment opportunities for more than one lakh people across sectors, including automotive, renewables and life science, electronics, R&D and data centre.

TN govt mandates rendition of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu first at official events

The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order mandating the singing of the official state song - Tamil Thaai Vazhthu - first in the sequence of songs to be rendered at all official events. The GO directs that the state song should be rendered first at all public, educational, and government functions, and the directive enforces standing when the anthem is being rendered while exempting the differently-abled persons. The GO issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar on August 12 follows a unanimous resolution passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 10. It applies to all educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings. It recalled the resolution piloted by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, stating that the "Assembly proudly records that Tamil is the ancient classical language of the world and Tamil civilisation is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world." The song taken from the play 'Manonmaniam', written in 1891 by Manonmaniam ...

TN CM's resolution on Tamil Thaai Vazhthu unanimously passed in Assembly

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay moved a government resolution in the Assembly on Monday mandating the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu at the commencement of government events. Piloting the resolution, he said his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government will not compromise on Tamil Nadu's linguistic and cultural rights. "Tamil is not only a language but also our life and emotions," Vijay said in an emotive speech and stressed that the "mother tongue is as pure as one's mother." As per the resolution, the state song should be sung at the commencement of programmes conducted at educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings in Tamil Nadu. The move comes in the backdrop of the latest advisory from the Union Home Affairs Ministry asking the states and union territories to "strictly comply" with its January 28 directive that the National Song Vande Mataram be played before the National Anthem at official events. It may be recalled that th

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to meet MPs over delimitation proposal; DMK to boycott

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is all set to chair a meeting of MPs of the state to deliberate on the union government's proposed delimitation exercise and Parliamentarians belonging to the DMK are set to boycott it. Vijay is scheduled to chair the meeting at Kalaivanar Arangam here at 3 pm on Saturday to deliberate on the proposal of the Centre to carry out delimitation and its likely impact on the state. Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar had sent separate invitations to the MPs on August 6 and 7, government sources said. DMK sources said their MPs will not take part in the discussion to be led by the chief minister. Further, they said that the party is "sticking to its stand that it will participate if the government convenes an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu issue." A party MP told PTI that inviting MPs is a flawed move and the government in the first place must have invited the party's top leadership. "The MPs have a mandate to follow the party line. This me

TVK's first Budget mixes poll promises with fiscal prudence in Tamil Nadu

The Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government unveiled a welfare-focused maiden Budget with allocations for poll promises, an AI city and farm loan waivers, while retaining fiscal discipline.

Tamil Nadu bags Chubb, Nordex GCC projects, first foreign university campus

Tamil Nadu signed agreements with Chubb, Nordex, UWA and MotiveLink for projects spanning GCCs, research, higher education and manufacturing, creating 2,920 jobs

TN CM Vijay slams DMK for 'politicising' Karur stampede, announces memorial

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday slammed the DMK for attempting to gain "political mileage" from the tragic stampede here last year and restraining him from visiting the district. In his first visit here since the 2025 stampede that killed 41 persons, Vijay faulted the police for not alerting him about the swelling crowd at the TVK venue on September 27 last, nor taking any steps to cancel the meeting as the crowd had become unmanageable to control. "The police could have alerted us that the crowd was swelling and become unmanageable to control. The police have all the right to cancel the meeting. Without doing so, the police escorted us on the highway," Vijay said during his first visit here after taking up the reins as chief minister in May. Vijay could not meet the affected 41 families in Karur last year but had those affected families were brought near Chennai and he personally consoled them. At the meeting today, Vijay said "I trusted the police fully and ev