Entire cost of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project will be with TN government: Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project is being funded solely by the State of Tamil Nadu, with no equity participation from the Centre. She explained that the Department of Economic Affairs is helping the State government secure international loans for the project. She also addressed allegations of the Centre delaying funds for the project, emphasizing the need for responsible political discourse. Sitharaman discussed the BJP’s preparations for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections and explained the allocation of disaster relief funds through the National Disaster Response Fund. She highlighted the Centre’s efforts to prevent disasters in vulnerable areas and questioned the utilization of funds allocated for drainage infrastructure after the Chennai floods in 2015.