Tamil Nadu CM Stalin meets PM Modi; seeks Rs 18,544 cr funds for Metro

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and sought early release of pending funds for Chennai metro and integrated education initiatives, besides an intervention to protect Tamil fishermen. The DMK president, who described the meeting as "purposeful", presented a detailed report on three main issues. "The Prime Minister listened patiently," Stalin told reporters after the meeting. The chief minister sought the speedy release of funds for the Chennai metro project as Rs 18,544 crore has already been spent so far. The state government wants to start work on the second phase of the Chennai metro and the non-disbursement of the pending dues has "caused a delay in the works, he emphasised. About the integrated education initiative, Stalin highlighted the hold-up in the first instalment of the 60:40 Centre-State funded programme. He clarified that while Tamil Nadu has incorporated positive elements of the National Education Policy, it has not acce