After assuming charge as the Chief Minister of the state, MK Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday evening. Post meeting the Prime Minister, Stalin addressing media persons said, “PM Modi assured cooperation and assistance to the development of the state, while also assuring me that I can contact him anytime during any concern regarding Tamil Nadu.”
CM Stalin had visited New Delhi on a two-day visit. During his first meeting with the PM post taking charge, Stalin presented 25 requests pertaining to Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, as per reports it is likely that he will also meet Rahul Gandhi and interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday.
CM Stalin had urged PM Modi to allocate adequate COVID-19 vaccine for Tamil Nadu, drop medical entrance exams like NEET to other courses, finish construction of AIIMS in Madurai, revoke National Education Policy and protect the Indian fishermen at Palk Bay among other demands.
The Chief Minister demanded that attempts to extend NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) to other courses should be dropped. NEET has been a controversial subject in Tamil Nadu which has had several protests against the Medical Entrance test over the years.
The Chief Minister also asked for the speedy construction of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Madurai, and setting up of an AIIMS campus in Coimbatore, which was a poll issue in TN.
Most importantly, he also asked the Prime Minister to allocate adequate vaccine doses and life saving drugs such as Liposomal Amphotericin (to treat black fungus) in Tamil Nadu.
The HLL Biotech’s vaccine manufacturing unit in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu has been lying vacant for several years now. But with COVID-19, the project has attracted renewed attention as COVID-19 vaccines can be made in the unit. CM Stalin asked Modi to commence use of the unit in TN to ramp up production and supply of vaccines.
CM Stalin urged Modi to share proceeds of cess and surcharge with the states and to release GST dues to the states, among other concerns.
In the environment space, Stalin urged the Prime Minister to drop bids for hydrocarbon projects in the Cauvery basin in Tamil Nadu, drop the neutrino project and revoke the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Notification (EIA), 2020.
He also asked Modi to repeal the contentious National Education Policy (NEP), Citizenship Amendment Act and the three farm bills.
With regard to infrastructure and industries, CM Stalin discussed Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro Rail project, multiple highway expansion projects in Tamil Nadu among other things. He also sought for the expansion of the Thoothukudi Port and Sethusamudram Ship canal project. The Chief Minister demanded that Madurai airport be declared an international airport for international flights to begin operations in this sector. He also asked to expand and modernise the Chennai, Salem and Thoothukudi airports.