The Hindu : Front Page : A slew of schemes to mark birth centenary of Annadurai

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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
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Front Page

A slew of schemes to mark birth centenary of Annadurai

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V. Ganesan

A PROMISE KEPT: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the launch of Re. 1 a kg rice scheme at Korukkupet in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: Launch of the ‘Re.1 a kg rice’ scheme through the public distribution system, a new integrated emergency response service in the public-private partnership mode, release of convicts who had completed a certain period in prison and a poets’ meet were among the events that marked the birth centenary of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai.

Across the State, leaders garlanded statues of Anna, distributed various types of aid to the poor and the needy and organised meetings to recall the contributions of the first DMK Chief Minister. This is the beginning of the year-long celebrations organised on the occasion of his centenary.

The Re.1 a kg rice was a dream scheme of Mr.Karunanidhi. When he launched the Rs.2-a-kg-rice scheme after the DMK formed the government in 2006, he recalled the promise Anna made to the people: “Oru padi arisi oru rupa” [One measure rice for Re.1] and had stated that he was implementing the electoral promise made. But because of the galloping inflation and the squeeze that people faced, he introduced more items through the PDS and also decided to reduce the price of rice through PDS even further, though this meant an additional burden of Rs. 400 crore to the government.

Mr. Karunanidhi has often commented on road accidents, reckless driving and the need for urgent medical care in the golden hour. On Monday, he launched the emergency response scheme, which, he hoped, would not be used by people frequently. If there were too many emergency calls, it meant that many road accidents were taking place, he said, stressing the need for police to step up preventive measures. The integrated emergency care can be accessed by dialling 108.

Many of the convicts who were told a few days ago that they would be released on Anna’s birth centenary spent an anxious night in prison, following Janata party president Subramanian Swamy approaching the Madras High Court.

On Sunday night, the court allowed the release subject to certain conditions.

At the poet’s meet, many issues, ranging from power cut in the State to the release of prisoners were given a verse form. While Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veeraswami was at the receiving end of ‘power cut jokes,’ one poet wondered how anyone could oppose the release of prisoners who had spent long years in prison.

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