The Union government has accorded approval for the phase II project of the Metro, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
“We received the information yesterday [August 17] that the Union government has given its approval for the phase II project,” he said in the House.
The Chief Minister recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, where he insisted on the project. “Based on the pressure we mounted, we have received the permission yesterday,” he said.
As for the Metro project for Coimbatore city, which was raised by BJP legislator Vanathi Srinivasan (Coimbatore-South), Mr. Stalin said his government would mount pressure on the Union government in connection with the project.
“There is no need to worry. Not just Coimbatore but for Madurai too, where we have announced a project. Wherever the projects are announced, they will be implemented definitely,” the Chief Minister said.
During her speech, Ms. Srinivasan pointed out the Budget speech of the Finance Minister and asked why the State government said it would consult the Union government about implementing the Metro project for Coimbatore.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan rose to clarify that rules mandated that the State government had to consult the Centre to implement such projects. Only during consultations, the details of how the project would be implemented would be finalised — whether it would be 50:50 or 60:40, he said. The Chief Minister said such projects would have to be implemented with funds from the Union government, and that had been the case so far.
