Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi and sought approval for the Chennai Metro Rail and release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SS), besides finding a permanent solution to secure the traditional fishing rights of fishermen.
During the meeting, Mr Stalin submitted a memorandum on these three issues concerning
the State.
In the memorandum, he sought approval for the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-II under
50:50 equity sharing basis between the Union and the Tamil Nadu governments.
He also sought release of funds under SSA scheme which was stopped by the centre on
the ground that the State government did not implemented the NEP-2020.
Mr Stalin also urged Mr Modi to find a permanent solution to secure the traditional fishing
rights of Indian fishermen and to expedite release of apprehended fishermen and their crafts.
It may be recalled that fishermen from Tamil Nadu were subjected to frequent attacks and
arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing by crossing the International Maritime
Boundary Line (IMBL) and Mr Stalin had been writing frequent letters to both the Prime
Minister and External Affairs Minister Dr.S.Jaishankar urging them to take diplomatic
steps to secure their release, besides holding meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) to
find a solution to the vexatious issue.
