‘Governments kept changing, my resolve to help Tamil Nadu unbroken’: PM Modi shares dais with Vijay

On a historic day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for over 13,000 crores worth of infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu. At IIT Madras, Modi expressed his commitment to helping the state reach new heights and assured the Centre's complete backing on all required assistance. The Prime Minister reminisced about his dealings with Tamil Nadu's chief ministers, from M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa in earlier times to Joseph Vijay during his tenure as the state's Chief Minister.

Modi's visit also included projects aimed at improving daily travel, strengthening industry and trade, and creating job opportunities for the youth of Tamil Nadu. Vijay, sharing the dais with Modi for the first time at such an event, sought Central approval for various Metro, highway, high-speed rail, and water projects. He also highlighted his government's commitment to providing corruption-free and transparent administration, while pursuing inclusive development in education, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, and the broader economy.

Tamil Nadu aims to become a 1.5-trillion USD economy by 2036, with an emphasis on Innovation, Investment, and Infrastructure. The state's growth would encompass all districts, not just Chennai. The CM further praised the increased Metro network in India, stating that while there were only five Metro cities in 2014, now there are services in 25 cities, with Chennai's Metro expanding to a 14.64-km Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani section.