Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday presented the Budget for the financial year 2023-24 in the State Legislative Assembly in Chennai.

The CM Stalin-led government said reforms led to the decline in revenue deficit from about Rs 62,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore.

While tabling the budget, Rajan said fare-free travel for women in State-run buses, and a breakfast scheme for government school students are among the several schemes being implemented for the financial year 2023-24.

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023-24 highlights

• Monthly financial assistance for severely affected differently-abled persons increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000.
• Rs 1,500 crore will be allotted for improving infrastructure in government schools such as constructing new buildings.
• Free breakfast scheme for primary students.
• State announces Rs 1,000 per month for eligible women homemakers. Rs 7,000 crore will be allotted this year for the scheme.
• Chola Museum will be set up in Thanjavur.
• Rs 5 crore will be allocated to translate BR Ambedkar’s works into Tamil.
• Rs 305 crore earmarked for bicycles for school students
• Rs 25 crore will be allocated for factory skill schools and Metro rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai.
• Chennai will turn into a hi-tech global sports city.
• Rs 18,661 crore will be allotted to the health and family welfare department.
• A New Multispecialty facility will be built in Stanley Medical College Hospital along with a nursing College and hostel.
• The solatium for defense personnel who sacrificed their lives during duty will be doubled from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.
• Government colleges and polytechnics to get new classrooms and labs at the cost of Rs 200 crore.
• Civil service aspirants will get monthly stipend of Rs 7,000 for preparing mains exam
• Rs 3,993 crore will be allotted for the waiver of various loans including gold and education loans.
• Rs 10 crore to be allotted to the animal welfare board to strengthen the ABC programme and to control the stray dog population.
• Rs 2,000 crore announced for Neithal festival project for the restoration of the sea, and beaches.
• Rural roads covering more than 5,140 km would be laid at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore in FY24.
• Rs 14,000 crore to be allocated towards subsidy for TANGEDCO.
• Rs 5,346 crore to be allotted for the old age pension scheme.

The Congress on Monday claimed that West Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee want to save herself from raids by probe agencies and has thus struck a deal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “defame” Rahul Gandhi and the grand-old party.

In a statement to news agency ANI, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that Mamata Banerjee was speaking on the directions of PM Modi as ‘didi’ and PM have made a deal “to defame the image of Rahul Gandhi and Congress.”

Chowdhury claimed that Banerjee wants to “save herself from ED-CBI raids” and is thus speaking against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi to make the Prime Minister happy.

The Congress leader was reacting to the West Bengal CM’s recent comments on Rahul Gandhi wherein she alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was portraying the Congress scion as a hero in their bid to divert attention from burning issues.

Read Also: Delhi liquor policy: Telangana CM’s daughter K Kavitha appears before ED for second round of questioning

Addressing her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party workers during an internal meeting in the West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Sunday, Banerjee accused the ruling BJP’s efforts to stall parliament proceedings in their demand for an apology from Rahul Gandhi, as an attempt to “make a hero” out of the Wayanad MP so that no one questions PM Modi.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP was trying to shift focus from current issues by stalling proceedings over Rahul Gandhi democracy remarks in the UK.

The second leg of the budget session—which began amid turmoil last week— has been marred by logjams as neither the ruling BJP, nor the Congress-led Opposition, are budging from their respective demands.

While the BJP are demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi over his comments on the Indian democracy during a recent speech in London, the Opposition has intensified its push for a demand asking for a Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC) into the Adani-Hindenburg report.

Commuters red-faced as porn plays on advertising screens at Patna Railway Station | WATCH

Outrage as Khalistan supporters storm Indian High Commission, pull down tricolour in London | WATCH

Considering the law and order situation in the state and preventing any disturbance in the country, the Punjab government on Monday once again extended the internet suspension in the state till tomorrow noon, March 21, 12 pm.

The Department of Home Affairs and Justice issued an order under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services.

The Bhagwant-led AAP government said all mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking & mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab are suspended till March 21 (1200 hours) in the interest of public safety.

Read Also: Supreme Court to hear pleas seeking CBI probe into 2020 Palghar mob lynching case

The Punjab government in a notice stated that certain sections of society are holding protests at several places in the state and are likely to threaten public order by incitement to violence with an aim to stoke and cause communal tension, obstruction or injury to persons, danger to human life and property, and disturbance of public peace and tranquility.

The broadband services are not being suspended so that banking facilities, hospital services and other essential services are not disrupted, said the order issued by the additional chief secretary of the home department.

The Punjab Police on Sunday declared Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh a fugitive. The police are on a manhunt to capture the Khalistani leader. So far, it has arrested 112 aides of his outfit.

Amid the ongoing search operations to arrest Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh, his driver Harpreet and his uncle Harijeet surrendered before police in Mehatpur on Sunday. According to reports, they were taken to the police station last night.

The crackdown has come weeks after Amritpal Singh and his supporters barged into the Ajnala police station near Amritsar with swords and guns to demand the release of one of their aides.

Mamata Banerjee struck deal with PM Modi to defame Rahul Gandhi: Congress

IMD issues orange alert for Delhi-NCR, heavy rainfall predicted