Speech of Thiru. Thangam Thenarasu, Minister for Finance and Environment and Climate Change, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Interim Budget Estimates for the year 2026-27 to the Legislative Assembly on 17th February 2026.

Speech of Thiru. Thangam Thenarasu, Minister for
Finance and Environment and Climate Change,
Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Interim
Budget Estimates for the year 2026-27 to the
Legislative Assembly on 17th February 2026.

Hon’ble Speaker,
I
am honoured to present the Interim Budget
Estimates for the year 2026-27 before this historic
Legislative Assembly. I express my heartfelt gratitude to
the Hon’ble Chief Minister for his invaluable guidance over
the past five years in implementing numerous exemplary
and nationally acclaimed welfare schemes that have
helped the State to not only be the second-largest
economy in India but also achieve a double-digit economic
growth.

2.
I would like to begin my address before this
Legislature with the timeless words of Ayyan
Thiruvalluvar:
“பகுத்துண்டு பல்லுயிர் ஓம்புதல் நூல ோர்
ததோகுத்தவற்றுள் எல் ோந் தல ”
(குறள்- 322)
“To share one’s meal with others, and all life
to save, Is chief of all the lore that learned
sages gave”.
(Kural-322)

3.
Following the words of world-renowned
Thiruvalluvar, the development of Tamil Nadu is being
steered by the Hon’ble Chief Minister in a manner admired
by the entire world. It is a matter of great pride that an
ideal environment has been created where all Tamils
including women, children, senior citizens, indigenous
tribal communities, and differently abled persons are able
to actively participate in the State’s growth journey.
While achieving high economic growth by boosting exports
and containing inflation, we have also launched the final
assault on poverty in Tamil Nadu. Even as proactive efforts
are undertaken to promote balanced industrial growth
across the State, major schemes are being implemented
to safeguard the welfare of workers. While we take efforts
to attract foreign investments at a massive scale, we have
not compromised on our efforts to equally nurture the
growth of micro and small enterprises. Beyond extending
substantial bank credit to women’s Self-Help Groups,
we have also created an enabling ecosystem for
space-technology start-ups to flourish and thrive. With a
firm commitment to ensuring food security for all, we have
augmented water resources and achieved historic
milestones in food production. The success of our
pioneering initiatives to equip Tamil Nadu’s youth with
modern skills to conquer the global stage has drawn
world-renowned Universities to the State.

4.
While we formulate plans to enable our youth
to excel in the knowledge economy, including in emerging
fields such as Artificial Intelligence, we have also taken
care to preserve and showcase the antiquity of Tamil
civilization for future generations to appreciate through
the beautifully designed Keezhadi and Porunai Museums.
As Tamil Nadu advances along the path of development
with major industrial parks in every district, four-lane
highways, and flyovers, equal emphasis is being placed on
a green growth trajectory through the protection of wildlife
and bird sanctuaries, conservation of marine biodiversity,
and the steady expansion of forest cover. Many of the
welfare schemes designed, with the interest of Tamil
people at heart, are now being emulated by several other
States. In this manner, we are discharging, with a
deep sense of responsibility, our historic duty of
guiding the nation in defining the model of a truly
people-centric Government.

Budget Speech 2026-2027 Full PDF

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