Tamil Nadu's budget 2024-25 focuses on "7 grand Tamil dream"

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu administration presented its budget for the year 2024-25 on Monday, focusing on the "7 grand Tamil dream". The core of this includes social justice and women's welfare, PTI reported.

Making a series of announcements, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu presented the budget.

Among the announcements was the "Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam," a housing named after late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, who was a former chief minister. The scheme aims to build 8 lakh houses in rural areas across the state, intending to make the state' hut free' by 2030, the minister said.

Thennarasu then said that the seven goals include social justice, the welfare of the marginalised, and making Tamil youth global achievers.

The government allocated Rs 13,720 crore allocated for Kalaignar Women Rights Scheme, the Rs 1,000 per month assistance plan for women.

The budget promises that the college education of third-gender people will be completely borne by the government.

He announced the government's allocation of Rs 300 crore in the budget for civic amenities, such as roads for regions next to city corporations, and Rs 1,000 crore for the development of rural roads.

The finance minister listed the goals of the budget, which include a knowledge-based economy, equality focused on the welfare of women, a sustainable future and Tamil culture. He said that Rs 5 crore was allocated in the TN Budget for archaeological excavations in 8 places, including areas in states like Kerala with Tamil links.

The minister claimed that the state has progressed significantly in reducing poverty through the government's welfare schemes. He invoked NITI Aayog statistics that people below the poverty line in Tamil Nadu were only around 2.2 per cent.