WELFARE AID: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala (right) and Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi at a function to distribute assistance to the poor on behalf of the Sun Foundation in Chennai on Thursday. Managing Trustee of the foundation Kalanidhi Maran (left), is also in the picture. — Photo: K.V.Srinivasan

CHENNAI: Non-Governmental Organisations should supplement Government's efforts in providing relief to the needy, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Thursday.

Distributing welfare measures on behalf of the Sun Foundation (Murasoli Maran Memorial Fund), Mr. Karunanidhi said it was difficult for the Government alone to alleviate people's sufferings. NGOs too should make a contribution.

Appealing to the rich to spend a portion of their wealth for the welfare of the poor, the Chief Minister said there was no parallel to the act of showing compassion to the poor. Noting that the sons of Murasoli Maran were helping the poor through the Sun Foundation without any publicity, he expressed the hope that the foundation would increase its welfare measures manifold in the coming years.

Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, presiding over the function, said he believed that voluntary service organisations were a class by themselves. There was no religion greater than the religion of humanity and there was no service greater than the service to the motherland. He quoted the words of Mother Teresa who had said that "Serving hands are holier than praying lips."

Paying tributes to Murasoli Maran, Mr. Barnala said he was a "great thinker and writer and an excellent Parliamentarian."

He would be remembered for his administrative efficiency and devotion to economic liberalisation. One could not forget his clear-sighted bargaining strategy in favour of India and other developing nations, at the Fourth Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Doha in 2001.

Education Minister K. Anbazhagan, who handed over financial assistance to poor students, lauded the foundation for setting apart a portion of its revenue for the welfare of society. The foundation's concern for the poor had enhanced the image of the Dravidian movement.

N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu , said the foundation had been doing outstanding work by extending assistance to meet the basic needs of the people in education and health sectors. Recalling the services rendered by Murasoli Maran, Mr. Ram said he upheld the interests of India and the developing nations at the Doha conference.

Praising the contribution being made by the foundation, he said it had so far disbursed assistance worth Rs. 11 crore from its own funds without any publicity.

Poet Vairamuthu said Maran was a close confidant of Mr. Karunanidhi.

Managing Trustee of the foundation and chairman of the Sun TV network Kalanidhi Maran, in his welcome address, said the foundation last year distributed assistance worth Rs. 50 lakh.

This year it was increased to Rs. 1 crore.

The marriage of 25 poor couples was solemnised and medical and educational assistance, sewing machines and other welfare measures were distributed.

Earlier Mr. Karunanidhi along with his ministerial colleagues garlanded the statue of Maran at the party headquarters.

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