Chennai: The TVK govt’s maiden budget is as much a political statement as an economic exercise. Three months in office, the C Joseph Vijay-led govt is attempting to translate its electoral mandate, balancing campaign commitments with fiscal prudence as local body elections draw closer.The budget seeks to carve out an identity distinct from those of Tamil Nadu’s two principal Dravidian parties. Tamil development and culture — themes that traditionally occupied the opening pages of previous budget documents, have taken a back seat. This time, Tamil development is in paragraph 172, with no mention of allocation.Upfront are youth-oriented schemes carrying with unmistakable political labels: Vetri skill training scheme for college students, and the unemployed and Vetri entrepreneurship scheme, highlighting the govt’s effort to retain its appeal among younger voters. Similarly, initiatives such as the ‘Vetri magalir’ goat rearing scheme, ‘Singappenngal valimaippaduthum thittam’ (₹5 lakh investment subsidy for women self-help groups), ‘Thaaimaaman thanga mothiram thittam’ and ‘Annan seer’ seek to reinforce the party’s outreach to women.Finance minister N Marie Wilson set the tone at the beginning of the budget speech by acknowledging that rising interest payments and committed liabilities had left the state govt with limited fiscal space for new programmes. It has to either adjust the scale of investment or pace of its commitments. TVK has nevertheless prioritised the promises that powered its election campaign, presenting them as investments in education, employability and entrepreneurship. In the process, the new administration repackages and renames earlier welfare initiatives.The govt has increased budgetary allocation for rural development by ₹10,000 crore. The higher outlay will help improve village infrastructure and rural livelihoods while helping TVK expand its organisational and electoral base beyond cities.DMK govt’s ‘Kalaignar veedu valangum thittam’, conceived to make Tamil Nadu free of huts, has resurfaced as ‘Vijay’s vetri veedu thittam’. The renamed scheme proposes the construction of 70,000 houses in the first year at ₹3,500 crore. The govt has also proposed a ₹6,000 crore ‘Tamil Nadu village empowerment, transformation and rejuvenation’ Initiative, or TN-Vetri, as an umbrella programme for rural infrastructure projects.The budget hasn’t lost sight of the welfare of labourers, backward classes, minorities and the persons with disabilities.
