Chennai, Aug 2026 : The first full-fledged Budget of the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government placed education at the centre of its development agenda, with Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson announcing a record allocation of ₹44,527 crore for the school education sector.
The 2026-27 Budget introduced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure, improving student welfare and enhancing access to quality learning across Tamil Nadu. Presenting the Budget in the State Assembly on Wednesday, Wilson said the government was committed to building an inclusive and modern education system that would equip students with better opportunities while improving facilities in government institutions. One of the flagship announcements was the launch of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Model Schools initiative.
Under this programme, the government will establish modern residential schools for students studying in Classes IX to XII. The residential campuses will provide free education along with boarding, meals, uniforms and textbooks, ensuring quality education for students from economically weaker backgrounds. An initial allocation of ₹125 crore has been earmarked for creating the necessary infrastructure.
To improve learning environments in government schools, the Budget introduced the 'Super Clean, Super Campus' scheme with an allocation of ₹129 crore. The programme will initially cover 10,000 government schools across the state and focus on improving sanitation, drinking water facilities, campus cleanliness, hygiene and other essential infrastructure. The government also announced a major boost for higher education by allocating ₹2,000 crore for the Vetri Laptop Scheme, under which college students will receive laptops to support digital learning, skill development and academic research.
Recognising the growing challenge of substance abuse among youth, the TVK government has allocated ₹7 crore for drug awareness programmes in schools. The initiative aims to educate students about the dangers of narcotics while encouraging preventive measures at the institutional level. Finance Minister Wilson also announced that the Drugs Free Tamil Nadu mobile application would be strengthened to enable citizens to report incidents related to the sale and distribution of narcotic substances, thereby encouraging greater public participation in combating drug abuse.
Apart from education, the Budget introduced several welfare initiatives. Under the Thaimaman Thanga Modhiram Scheme, babies born in government hospitals will receive a one-gram gold ring, with the government allocating ₹560 crore for the programme. Another welfare measure announced was a marriage assistance scheme under which the brother of a bride will receive an eight-gram gold coin and a silk saree on the wedding day.
The government has earmarked ₹812 crore for implementing the scheme. Presenting the state's financial roadmap, Wilson observed that Tamil Nadu's debt had nearly doubled over the past five years, increasing the burden of interest payments. To strengthen the state's finances, the government expects to generate an additional ₹16,000 crore in revenue, including ₹1,000 crore through a proposed liquor production cess.
The Finance Minister also announced the formation of a Revenue Enhancement Committee to identify new measures for improving the state's fiscal position and ensuring sustainable revenue growth. The Budget marks the first comprehensive financial policy statement of the TVK government after assuming office. The previous DMK administration had presented only an interim Budget in February ahead of the Assembly elections.
With its strong emphasis on education, student welfare and infrastructure development, the maiden TVK Budget signals the government's intention to place human capital development at the forefront of Tamil Nadu's growth strategy.
