'Student funds, e-scooters…global city': What DMK government announced during budget
What's the story
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu presented the state budget for 2025-26 in the assembly on Friday. The budget focused on flagship welfare schemes, job creation, and infrastructure development. The government said that to promote Tamil, it will organize an annual World Tamil Olympiad with a ₹1 crore prize. A museum dedicated to Tamil language, 'Agaram,' will also be constructed in Madurai.
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Tamil Nadu budget 2025: Women's welfare
The budget also devoted ₹77 crore to the Thozhi hostel scheme for working women, which will benefit almost 800 women in 10 locations. Student hostels will also be built in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai at an outlay of ₹275cr. The government will fill 40,000 posts in this fiscal, and offer bank loans of up to ₹10 lakh with 20% subsidy for one lakh women entrepreneurs.
Development
Tamil Nadu budget 2025: Housing and infrastructure
The finance minister also introduced the Kalaignar Kanavu Ilam housing scheme with a budget of ₹3,500 crore to provide one lakh new houses to low-income families. A global city will be developed on over 2,000 acres outside Chennai, with schools, colleges, industries and infrastructure. Thennarasu also announced plans for a new airport at Rameswaram, and expedited work on the upcoming airport at Parandur.
Aid
Tamil Nadu budget 2025: Support for gig workers
The government will also set up a welfare board for gig workers and a scheme giving ₹20,000 to assist them in purchasing e-scooters for work. A scheme providing monthly stipends of ₹75,000 for 10 months has been announced for 1,000 selected students sitting for union civil service preliminary examinations. Those who clear the exams will be given further incentives of ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 respectively.
Allocation
Tamil Nadu budget 2025: Education funding and tourism
A ₹2,500 crore fund for education loans has been announced for one lakh students. The minister also also announced the establishment of a new Mini-TIDEL Park in the Virudhunagar district. These measures would create 6,600 job opportunities. Furthermore, the state government will introduce new undergraduate programs in the upcoming academic year. These programs will cover rapidly growing fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber Security, Robotics, Electric Vehicle Technology and Environmental Engineering.