Chennai, Feb 17 (NationPress) The Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thangam Thennarasu, delivered the State's interim Budget for 2026-27 on Tuesday in the Legislative Assembly at Fort St. George. The budget showcases a robust emphasis on welfare initiatives, educational advancement, sports enhancement, and cultural projects as the Assembly elections approach.

The Minister highlighted that ₹197 crore worth of relief materials were dispatched to Sri Lanka during its recent economic hardships, highlighting Tamil Nadu's commitment to humanitarian aid.

Among significant budget allocations, ₹718 crore has been dedicated to sports development, while ₹28,687 crore is allocated to the Rural Development Department.

The Special Programme Implementation Department has been granted ₹17,088 crore. Additionally, ₹10 crore has been earmarked for the promotion and teaching of Tamil to diaspora communities globally.

Continuing its focus on social welfare, ₹5,463 crore has been allocated for social security pension schemes aimed at supporting widows, destitute women, and the elderly.

The budget assigns ₹48,534 crore to School Education and ₹8,505 crore to Higher Education.

Furthermore, ₹1,471 crore is designated for the welfare of Persons with Disabilities, emphasizing the government's commitment to providing a four percent reservation in public employment.

Thennarasu mentioned that the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme has notably enhanced student attendance and learning outcomes in government schools.

To promote heritage and tourism, the government has proposed various projects, including a grand Chola Museum in Thanjavur, a museum at Gangaikondacholapuram, the Noyyal Museum in Erode, and the Naavaai Museum in Ramanathapuram. New galleries showcasing Bronze and Indus Valley Civilization artifacts will also be added at the Egmore Government Museum in Chennai, with a total budget of ₹285 crore for these initiatives.

The recently inaugurated world-class Keezhadi and Porunai Museums have received significant acclaim.

Thennarasu praised the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam as a groundbreaking initiative recognizing women's unpaid household labor with a monthly entitlement of ₹1,000, which has gained national attention after a ₹5,000 credit was provided to 1.31 crore women beneficiaries. He characterized the budget as development-oriented, with strategies to enhance exports, control inflation, safeguard workers' welfare, and empower women's self-help groups while achieving record growth in food production.

aal/rad