Hopes run high as DMK govt to table its last budget today

AS Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu is set to table the last full-fledged budget of the present government on Friday, expectations are high as to whether the ruling DMK would go full-throttle on populist measures ahead of the 2026 Assembly election or exercise prudence by ensuring effective implementation of its existing social welfare scheme while maintaining the deficits at optimal level, for the state's increasing debt has become a key point of criticism for opposition parties.

- T MURUGANANDHAM @ Chennai

In a curtain raiser released for the budget on Thursday, Chief Minister MK Stalin hinted that announcements appealing to the masses cannot be ruled out in the 2025-26 budget. Adding the tagline 'Everything for everyone', he said the budget will aim "to ensure the inclusive, decentralised, and widespread growth of Tamil Nadu" in a manner "that would benefit all sections of the society."

Thennarasu, in the budget for 2024-25, said the outstanding debt of the state government is likely to burgeon to ₹8.33 lakh crore by March 31, 2025, and that the government was planning to borrow 1.55 lakh crore during this fiscal while making a repayment of ₹49,639 crore.