Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) charged the only change ushered in by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led (TVK) government was the renaming of schemes introduced by the previous DMK government.

Talking to reporters in Chennai after the Revised Budget Estimates 2026-27 was presented in the Legislative Assembly, he charged the Chief Minister’s pre-Budget meeting with officials had been convened solely to rename schemes launched by the erstwhile Dravidian Model government.

Referring to the Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Scheme announced in the Budget, Mr. Udhayanidhi said it fell short of the Chief Minister’s election promise, which, he claimed, was to extend the benefit to all children in Tamil Nadu.

“Now, the Budget says the scheme will be implemented only for children born in government hospitals. There is no announcement to fulfil the election promises,” he said.

Mr. Udhayanidhi said the Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme, the Iyothee Thass Pandithar Habitation Scheme, and the Olympic Centres of Excellence had all been introduced during the DMK regime.

“Anbu Cholai, a scheme for the welfare of senior citizens, has been renamed Integrated Senior Citizen Homes. Similarly, the Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil laptop distribution scheme has been renamed the Vetri Laptop Scheme, Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam has become Vetri Veedu Thittam, Model Schools have been renamed Thagaisal Pallikal, and Mudhalvar Padaipagangal has been renamed Digital Noolagam,” he said.

‘No courage for govt. in Mekedatu issue’

Referring to The Hindu’s report that Tamil Nadu’s receipt of Cauvery water in July had fallen to a 50-year low, Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged the government lacked the courage to prevent Karnataka from proceeding with the proposed Mekedatu dam project.

DMK MLA and former Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the figures contained in the Revised Budget Estimates had disproved the criticism levelled against the previous DMK government in the White Paper released by the TVK-led regime earlier.

He said the State’s annual borrowing was around ₹1 lakh crore during the DMK’s tenure, but had now increased to ₹1.22 lakh crore. “The capital expenditure has been reduced by ₹3,000 crore, while the revenue deficit has increased to ₹7,000 crore. Revenue expenditure, which stood at ₹3.39 lakh crore, has risen to ₹4.05 lakh crore,” he said.

The debut Budget of the C. Joseph Vijay-headed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led coalition government, presented by Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson on Wednesday (August 5, 2026), sought to strike a balance between fiscal prudence and welfare, with a focus on the empowerment of women, youth, students, and the elderly.

While some schemes based on the TVK’s poll promises found a place in the Budget, several prominent assurances, such as ₹2,500 monthly assistance for eligible women heads of families, six free LPG cylinders a year for every family, and free travel for women on all government bus services, did not figure in it.

The Budget also prioritised skill development and rural and infrastructure development. It provided substantial allocations for several ongoing schemes while rebranding some existing schemes and enhancing their allocations.

During his two-and-a-half hour presentation, Mr. Wilson said the State’s outstanding debt is estimated at ₹10.98 lakh crore in the Revised Budget Estimates (RBE) for 2026-27. The outstanding debt-to-GSDP ratio is estimated at 27.01%. The government plans to borrow ₹1,73,445 crore and repay ₹51,971 crore during the current financial year.

The State’s Own Tax Revenue (SOTR) is projected to grow by 9.78%, with Commercial Taxes contributing 68.9% of the collections, followed by Stamps and Registration (15.5%) and State Excise (6.2%).

Among the key announcements for women were the ‘Singappengal Valimaippaduthum Thittam’ to promote entrepreneurship, and the ‘Annan’s Seer’ scheme, under which eligible brides will receive an eight-gram gold coin and a silk saree, with ₹812 crore earmarked for the scheme.

The Budget also announced the ‘Vetri 150’ initiative, providing an additional 25 days of work for households upon completion of 125 days work under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM (G)].

It proposed to establish ‘Arivagam’, labelled as India’s first AI and Innovation City; the Tamil Nadu Student Housing and Infrastructure Corporation to build 200 integrated student hostels with one lakh beds; Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Schools of Excellence with residential facilities; industry-aligned skill development for 12 lakh college students and one lakh unemployed youth and declaring Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts as ‘Space Industrial Investment Zone’.

Among the major sector-wise allocations, School Education received ₹44,527 crore, followed by Rural Development (₹39,609 crore), Urban Development (₹38,715 crore), Health (₹23,357 crore), and Food and Cooperation (₹22,859 crore).

With crop damage caused by wild boars emerging as a major concern for farmers in Tamil Nadu, Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth has announced a special ₹7.35-crore package in the Agriculture Budget 2026-27 to reduce economic losses and protect farmlands.

Presenting the Agriculture Budget in the Assembly on Thursday (August 6, 2026), the Minister said the environment-friendly liquid wild boar repellent developed by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) would be supplied to farmers at subsidised rates. The scheme will cover 14,000 acres at a cost of ₹1.35 crore, funded by the State government.

Drawing from Tamil Nadu’s rich literary heritage, the Minister quoted verses from the Sangam classic Malaipadukadam to illustrate how ancient communities protected their crops. He said people once guarded narrow paths used by wild boars by installing adar — rare stone traps made of large slabs that were designed to ensnare the animals.

To further reduce crop losses caused not only by wild boars but also by elephants, gaurs, and deer, the government will install solar-powered electric fencing systems at subsidised rates for 134 farmers during the current year, with an allocation of ₹2 crore.

The Minister also noted that dense growth of Prosopis juliflora (Seemai Karuvelam) in several districts had become a preferred habitat for wild boars. To address this, the government will undertake the removal of the invasive species from both government and private lands through District Collectors, with ₹4 crore earmarked from the State fund for the initiative.

For Chennai, no State budget seems complete without allocation for the city’s rivers restoration. The maiden budget of the TVK-led government also promises restoration of the Cooum and the Adyar rivers.

Presenting the budget in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday, Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson said the government would strive with the “utmost resolve to restore the Cooum and the Adyar to their natural state.”

Boat rides

Drawing parallels with Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon and Singapore’s Kallang, he said the government would invite global tenders and prepare detailed feasibility and project reports to transform both the rivers into Chennai’s defining landmarks. He outlined an ambitious goal of making the rivers clean for boat rides.

A detailed project report for Adyar river restoration was already under preparation for a scheme announced under the Hybrid Annuity Model by the previous regime. Sources noted that the project report is awaiting a few clarifications. While some improvement works proposed by the Water Resources Department have been completed, a detailed project report was being prepared for the Cooum. The reports may be refined in line with the new government’s priorities.

The ₹3,108-crore Ring Main Pipeline project announced by the previous regime during the last fiscal also found a place in the budget. Sources said preliminary work is in progress to construct the circular pipeline, which will connect all major drinking water sources in Chennai with distribution points. The project, which aims to provide equitable and uninterrupted water supply, would be completed by 2030-31.

The circular pipeline for the city was designed to handle a flow of 1,762 million litres of water a day, which is the projected water demand for 2057. The project would be expanded to cover the entire Chennai Metropolitan Area in phases, sources said.

The State government has also promised to take steps to expedite river interlinking initiatives. Mr. Wilson noted that the Cauvery – Vaigai – Gundar river linking project would commence this year with an initial fund allocation of ₹150 crore. It would also allocate ₹50 crore towards preparing detailed project reports for other river linking projects, including Pennaiyar – Cheyyar.

DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) described the Revised Budget Estimates presented by the TVK-led government in the Legislative Assembly as a “damp squib”, saying they lacked originality and failed to fulfil the government’s promises.

Tamil Nadu Budget: TVK-led government needs two years to restore fiscal prudence, says Finance Minister

“People expected it to be a ‘blast’, but it turned out to be a ‘waste’. It is a remake of the ‘Dravidian Model’ (DMK) government’s Budget,” Mr. Stalin said in a social media post.

According to him, the Budget had failed to present any farsighted schemes for the State and had not addressed the problems faced by farmers, issues relating to electricity consumption billing, or the rising cost of living.

“It is completely silent on the (TVK’s electoral) promise of ₹2,500 for women, ₹4,000 for unemployed youth, six free LPG cylinders, and a complete waiver of crop loans,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) said the Budget session of the Assembly would continue till September 8. The entire proceedings of the Assembly would be telecast live, he added.

Addressing journalists after the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, he said the Revised Agriculture Budget for 2026-27 would be presented in the Assembly on Thursday (August 6). The following day, obituary references for former MLAs and condolence resolutions for filmmaker and actor K. Bhagyaraj, poet Puviyarasu, playback singer S. Janaki, and writer Poomani would be taken up.

Tamil Nadu Budget 2026 LIVE updates: Finance Minister Marie Wilson announces one-sovereign gold coin for brides in TVK-led govt.’s maiden Budget

The general discussion on the Revised Budget Estimates and the Revised Agriculture Budget Estimates for 2026-27 would begin on the same day and continue on August 10, 11, and 12. The discussion and voting on the department-wise Demands for Grants would be taken up from August 17 to September 8.

Mr. Prabhakar said the BAC had decided to hold the sittings from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. The committee had also discussed holding the sittings from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., if required. A separate announcement would be made if such an extension was required.

On the allocation of seats in the Assembly, Mr. Prabhakar said seats were allotted based on the symbol on which members had contested and won the election, and arranged in alphabetical order.

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) said the State government will increase lean-period fishing assistance for traditional fishermen from ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per family, benefiting 1.93 lakh traditional fishermen families, with an allocation of ₹135 crore.

Presenting the Revised Budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly, Mr. Wilson said, to encourage traditional fishermen to take up deep-sea fishing, financial assistance in the form of an interest subsidy will be provided to those purchasing deep-sea fishing boats equipped with modern processing facilities. A sum of ₹12 crore has been allocated for the scheme.

Tamil Nadu Budget 2026 LIVE updates: Finance Minister Marie Wilson announces one-sovereign gold coin for brides in TVK-led govt.’s maiden Budget

The Minister also announced that under the ‘Vetri Magalir Goat Rearing Scheme’, five goats or sheep will be provided with a 100% subsidy to destitute widows, deserted women, transgender persons, and persons with disabilities living in rural areas, benefiting about 30,000 eligible persons at a cost of ₹110 crore, he said.

A total of 41 new buildings required for veterinary hospitals will be constructed at a cost of ₹47 crore. To meet the medical treatment needs of livestock, 25 veterinary hospitals will be upgraded into veterinary polyclinics, and 210 veterinary dispensaries will be upgraded into veterinary hospitals, at a cost of ₹40 crore. Further, 143 new mobile veterinary units will be established at a cost of ₹35 crore, Mr. Wilson said.

The State government will introduce a new livestock insurance scheme named ‘Kaalnadaigal Kaappom’ to provide financial protection against the loss of livestock due to unforeseen mortality, disease or disaster at a cost of ₹31 crore, he said.

Quality feed

To ensure farmers receive quality feed at a lower price, the State government will establish fodder seed banks and depots across the State at a cost of ₹6.70 crore. Further, an amount of ₹13 crore has been allocated to promote green fodder cultivation, improve the use of chaffed fodder, and restore grazing lands through community participation.

Besides, to increase milk production and secure the livelihood of women living in rural areas, milch cows will be provided free of cost to 10,000 eligible women every year, and ₹57 crore has been allocated for the initiative. The Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department has been allocated ₹4,880 crore.