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The Centre’s largesse of highway and infrastructure projects to election-bound States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam was welcomed by some and dubbed as “politically motivated” by other States, which contended that the ruling BJP was busy undermining the federal character of fiscal policy while appearing munificent.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced 3,500 km of National Highway works in Tamil Nadu at an investment of ₹1.03-lakh crore. These include Madurai-Kollam and Chittoor-Thatchur corridors. Construction will start next year. Sitharaman also announced ₹63,246 crore for Phase-II of 118.9-km Chennai Metro Railway. She also proposed investments for the development of modern fishing harbours and fish landing centres. To promote the emerging seaweed farming sector, the FM proposed a multi-purpose seaweed park in the State.
TN welcomes proposals
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswmi welcomed the proposals, saying that the NH works will boost the State’s economic growth while urging the Centre for speedy implementation. On textile parks across the country, Palaniswami said two of these should be in Tamil Nadu, including one in his home town Salem and the other in the southern districts. The CM said that further reduction in excise and increase in cess will hurt the States and urged the Centre to revert to the earlier situation.
The FM proposed 675 km of highway works in West Bengal at ₹25,000 crore, including upgradation of the Kolkata–Siliguri stretch. The Kolkata-Siliguri road is a major arterial road that also serves as an important link to neighbouring countries of Bhutan and Nepal.
But Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the Centre’s intent and asserted that the West Bengal Government was already working to clear roadblocks to the expansion of the Kolkata-Siliguri highway. Bengal’s Finance Minister Amit Mitra said the State was given an award by the Centre for best performance for constructing 88,881 km of rural roads and 5,111 km of State roads and highways. “Now they want to build 675 km. The reason why the Centre has woken up is simple that the State will have elections soon,” said Mitra.
Projects in Assam
Sitharaman said National Highway works of around ₹19,000 crore are currently in progress in Assam where further works of more than ₹34,000 crore covering more than 1,300 km of National Highways would be taken up in the next three years.
In Kerala, 1,100 km of National Highway works will be carried out at an investment of ₹65,000 crore, including the 600-km section in the State of the Mumbai-Kanyakumari highway.
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