Speed up projects, Jayalalithaa tells Venkaiah Naidu

Chennai: Handing over a long wish list to the visiting Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa requested the Centre’s support for various state projects including the development of 12 smart cities which include Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and a few other corporations.

The CM pointed out that the state had prepared project reports for various urban infrastructure projects to provide drinking water, underground sewerage, stormwater drains, flyovers and solid waste management in urban areas at a total cost of 26,000 crore. All these projects await clearance and funding by the Centre, said a release.

Jayalalithaa stressed the need to include Srirangam on the list of heritage cities to be developed under the Central programme announced in the Union budget. She urged the Centre to release funds for the Erode Drinking Water Supply Scheme ('392.5 crore) and the 45 MLD tertiary treatment reverse osmosis (TTRO) plant at Koyambedu, and other projects that have already been approved by the Union government.

The CM highlighted that Centre had withheld Rs 206 crore due to the state under Jnnurm although TN has completed almost all of the reforms. “The state has been awarded 99 marks out of 100 on this aspect. I reiterate our request for the early release of the withheld amount,” she said.

Venkaiah praised Jayalalithaa as respected and successful CM who has pioneered in implementing  welfare schemes.