Tamil Nadu deputy chief-minister O. Panneerselvam has asked the BJP-led Centre to reveal the locations where branches of the New Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) are proposed to be set up in Tamil Nadu.

OPS was at the national capital yesterday to represent Tamil Nadu in the pre-budget discussions convened by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The Union Budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 is to be tabled by Jaitley in Parliament on 01st February. It may be recalled that soon after the BJP took over at the Centre in 2014,  it changed the date of presentation of general budget from 28th to 01st February.

Jaitley has convened a meeting of representatives of all States and Union Territories to hear their views/grievances ahead of finalizing the allocations under various sectors in the Budget. Besides requesting the Centre to be ‘liberal’ in allocating funds to the State, OPS also brought up the issue of locations of AIIMS proposed to be set up soon.

It may be recalled that a few months back, a Central team inspected 5 sites/cities in the State for possible location of AIIMS but the Centre hasn’t so far come out with any explanation on the issue. It is in this backdrop that OPS broaching about the issue in New Delhi is considered significant. DMK’s working president Stalin had earlier asked the Centre to spell out its stance in the matter.