Overview
- Tamil Nadu earmarked ₹4,000 crore for free bus travel for women and set large outlays for key sectors, including ₹48,534 crore for school education, ₹22,090 crore for health, and ₹13,062 crore for transport with plans to procure 12,000 buses.
- The state projects outstanding debt at about ₹10.71 lakh crore by March 2027, with planned borrowing of roughly ₹1.79 lakh crore and repayments of ₹60,413 crore, and pegs the debt-to-GSDP ratio at 26.12%.
- The Interim Budget estimates a revenue deficit of ₹48,696 crore and sets the fiscal deficit at 3.00% of GSDP, with officials outlining a consolidation path over the next two years.
- Thennarasu cited withheld or deducted Union transfers and new conditions as key pressures, naming a ₹1,709 crore IGST deduction, delayed releases under Samagra Shiksha and Jal Jeevan Mission, Finance Commission grants not received, GRF transfers of ₹3,087 crore, and ₹15,877 crore required for TNPDCL loss funding.
- He said Chennai Metro Phase‑II accounting has overstated state debt by ₹9,523 crore pending a book adjustment, and he flagged disappointment with the 16th Finance Commission; the vote‑on‑account precedes Assembly consideration of advance and supplementary demands on February 20.