Chennai, June 11 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged the Union government to release the pending Rs 3,284 crore education funds due to the state without linking them to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, and its three-language formula.

Addressing the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Chief Minister Vijay said that education was a Constitutional responsibility and financial assistance meant for school education should not be withheld on policy grounds.

He stressed that Tamil Nadu had consistently achieved high standards in education and that the release of funds should not be conditional upon the adoption of the NEP or the trilingual policy.

The Chief Minister reiterated Tamil Nadu’s long-standing commitment to its two-language policy and said the state had achieved remarkable progress in literacy, higher education enrolment and human development indicators through its existing education model.

Highlighting the issue of fiscal federalism, Chief Minister Vijay called upon the Centre to ensure a fair distribution of resources among states.

He said that states which had performed exceptionally well in maintaining financial discipline, improving social indicators and successfully implementing population control measures should receive due recognition and incentives from the Union government.

The Chief Minister noted that several southern states, including Tamil Nadu, had effectively controlled population growth and contributed significantly to the national economy.

Such states, he said, should not be placed at a disadvantage in the allocation of central resources or Parliamentary representation because of their developmental achievements.

In a significant cultural demand, Chief Minister Vijay urged the Union government to declare the Thirukkural, the timeless Tamil literary classic authored by the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, as India’s National Literature.

He said the Thirukkural transcended linguistic, regional and religious boundaries and offered universal values relevant to humanity.

The Chief Minister also raised concerns regarding the welfare of Tamil Nadu fishermen detained in neighbouring countries.

He appealed to the Centre to take urgent diplomatic measures to secure the release of fishermen and fishing boats held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan and ensure their safe return to India.

Chief Minister Vijay said the livelihoods of thousands of coastal families depended on fishing and called for sustained diplomatic engagement to prevent recurring arrests and safeguard the interests of Indian fishermen operating in international waters.

The Chief Minister’s speech focused on education, federal rights, cultural recognition and fishermen’s welfare, while reiterating Tamil Nadu’s demand for greater respect for state autonomy and equitable treatment within the federal framework.

–IANS

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