Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday submitted a memorandum of the State’s demands, coming under nine departments, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It had demands for the implementation of Metro Rail Phase II on equity sharing, free allocation of defence land for airport expansion, creation of Regional Centre of the Sports Authority of India at Chennai, retrieval of Katchatheevu and restoration of traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen, among others.
He requested Mr. Modi to ensure that the defence lands and lands owned by the other departments of the Union government were made available for the expansion of airports in Tamil Nadu. He said since the SIPCOT had rights over the ownership of lands and proved its efficiency in running industrial parks, it should be made the master developer of the PM MITRA Industrial Park.
He also wanted the Prime Minister to set up the Regional Centre of the Sports Authority of India in Chennai, pointing out that there was already a proposal to set up it at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.
He also requested for hosting the Asian Beach Games in Tamil Nadu, stating that the State had 1,076 km of beach and already conducted national beach volleyball in Chennai.
The Chief Minister also expressed his government’s desire to conduct Khelo India Youth Games. Mr. Stalin urged Mr Modi to prevail upon the Railways to drop the line in Dhanuskodi near Rameswaram as it was an eco -sensitive zone.
Other demands included the change in the nomenclature of certain communities in SC/ST, a greater share for Tamil Nadu in offshore wind energy, the rectification of anomalies in toll collection by the NHAI and securing equal civil and political rights for Sri Lankan Tamils.