TN CM to Modi: Wait till May 31 to resume train, flight services to the State

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to permit train service from and to Chennai till May 31 as the Covid-19 positive cases in the city are showing an increasing trend. This was in response to an announcement by the Centre on Sunday that regular train services will commence from May 12.

He also urged Modi not to begin air services till May 31.

In a video conference with Modi, the Chief Minister requested an

ad-hoc grant of ₹1,000 crore from NDRF immediately to procure medical, protective materials and for the movement of migrant labourers, the cost which has been borne entirely by the State government.

On MSMEs, Palaniswami said that the sector has a large number of units with maximum labourers. “I request that the annual credit plan target for lending to MSMEs in Tamil Nadu should be enhanced to ₹1,25,000 crore for 2020-21,” he said. A credit restructuring package may also be provided so that they do not have repayment obligations till December 31. Fresh working capital assistance should be extended to the MSME units, he added.

A refinancing support of ₹2,500 crore should be provided to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation through SIDBI and Commercial Banks to extend support to MSME, Palaniswami said.

Recollecting the earlier request, Palaniswami urged Modi to release ₹2,000 crore as Special Grant to enhance available medical equipment in the State. “I would like to bring to your kind attention that the earlier release of ₹312 crore under NHM have been utilised fully and we have submitted Utilisation Certificate to enable release of second installment,” he said.

Additional borrowing of 33 per cent above the permitted level for fiscal year 2019-20, may be allowed for 2020-21. The pending GST compensation and 50 per cent of the 2020-21 Finance Commission grants to the Urban and Rural Local bodies may be released now. Moreover no cuts should be made in devolution to States from the Central Budget estimates 2020-21, he added.

The Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund, he said, may be made eligible to receive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution under Schedule-III of the Companies Act, 2013.

Palaniswami requested an additional allocation of foodgrains free of cost for all card holders, including the NPHH beneficiaries, under PMGKAY Scheme. Custom Milled Rice subsidy of ₹1,321 crore may be released early to facilitate paddy procurement. He also sought a relief package to ease the immediate burden on the power sector, which will help distressed discoms.