Senior BJP leader and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal accused the DMK government led by MK Stalin of failing to implement key Central schemes in Tamil Nadu. Despite substantial financial support from the Centre, the State government has not effectively utilised funds or extended scheme benefits to eligible citizens, he told newspersons at the State headquarters on Monday.
housing scheme
Citing housing as an example, he said over nine lakh houses had been sanctioned for Tamil Nadu under Central schemes. However, the State government had not submitted the beneficiary details for nearly three lakh families. “These are poor families who could have received houses with basic amenities. I want to ask what the State government has against them,” he said.
He also alleged that funds under schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission were not being fully utilised due to issues like alleged irregularities in contract allocation. “In this mission, massive corruption has been found in the contracts given by the Stalin government. An investigation is going on to check who are the ministers involved, whether the CM is directly responsible for that corruption and I assure the people of Tamil Nadu we will make these ministers and the CM accountable for the corruption of the last five years,” he said.
On tax devolution to Tamil Nadu, Goyal said it had doubled compared to previous years, while grants-in-aid had risen substantially.
According to him, grants-in-aid to Tamil Nadu during the 2004–2014 period averaged around ₹57,000 crore, whereas under the current dispensation they had increased to about ₹2.5 lakh crore.
Goyal argued that instead of confronting the Centre, the State government should collaborate to ensure effective delivery of welfare schemes and infrastructure development. He criticised the DMK government over delays in implementing other Central initiatives, alleging that political differences were affecting welfare delivery.
Drawing a parallel with his experience in trade negotiations, Goyal said the party’s manifesto for TN cannot be rushed.
“When I used to negotiate free trade agreements, the press would always ask about the time frame. I always said I don’t negotiate with a gun on my head,” he remarked, adding that the party would take the necessary time to finalise a “very powerful” manifesto.
Published on April 6, 2026