Ahead of polls, Tamil Nadu’s interim budget for 2026-27, tabled by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, promises a welfare revolution with massive outlays for education, sports, rural upliftment, and safeguarding cultural treasures. Delivered in the assembly chambers of Fort St. George, it outlines a roadmap for equitable development.
The minister recalled the state’s Rs 197 crore humanitarian package to Sri Lanka, reinforcing Tamil Nadu’s compassionate foreign policy stance.
Breaking down the numbers: Rs 718 crore fuels sports infrastructure and training. Rural development swells to Rs 28,687 crore for comprehensive village transformation. Special programs draw Rs 17,088 crore, with a slice for global Tamil language initiatives.
Social security pensions for the most needy total Rs 5,463 crore. Education dominates with Rs 48,534 crore for primaries and secondaries, plus Rs 8,505 crore for colleges and universities.
A dedicated Rs 1,471 crore targets disabled welfare, complete with employment quotas and promotion pathways. Thennarasu spotlighted the CM’s school breakfast program as a resounding success in enhancing student engagement.
Heritage projects shine with Rs 285 crore: Chola grandeur in Thanjavur, historical museums in Gangaikondacholapuram, Erode’s Noyyal, Ramanathapuram’s Navai, upgraded Bronze and Indus Valley sections in Chennai, and Tiruvannamalai’s Tamil showcase. Freshly launched museums are drawing crowds.
Praising the women’s rights scheme that honors unpaid labor with Rs 1,000 monthly aid, Thennarasu noted its nationwide ripple effect.
This budget stands as a testament to Tamil Nadu’s vision: empowering the marginalized, educating the young, and immortalizing its storied past for future generations.