Vijay's First Budget Faces Opposition Heat | What's In And What's Missing?

The Vijay government has presented its first Tamil Nadu Budget, placing welfare, education and social development at the heart of its agenda. The Budget allocates ₹44,567 crore for school education, expands student welfare with a breakfast scheme, announces AI training institutes and earmarks significant funding for social welfare and urban development. Among the headline announcements are one-gram gold rings for newborns in government hospitals, gold and silk sarees for brides, and bicycles and helmets for beneficiaries. The government also reaffirmed its opposition to the Mekedatu dam project, citing Tamil Nadu's rights over Cauvery waters. However, the Opposition has criticised the Budget, arguing that several major promises made by the TVK before the elections—including monthly cash assistance for women, free LPG cylinders and unemployment support—have been left out. Here's a complete breakdown of Vijay's maiden Budget, the key announcements and why it has sparked a political debate