Tamil Nadu - Kancheepuram   

Stalin’s call to women, BPL families

— Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

FOR THE LEPROSY-AFFECTED: Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin declaring open a rehabilitation home constructed by the Social Welfare Department at Paranur near Chengalpattu on Tuesday.

KANCHEEPURAM: Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday called upon the below-poverty-line (BPL) families and womenfolk to make best use of the present government to improve their socio-economic status.

Addressing a meeting after inaugurating a single-storey building constructed by the Social Welfare Department at a cost of Rs.1.29 crore in the Government Rehabilitation Home complex for leprosy-affected persons at Paranur, Mr. Stalin said the government implemented several schemes such as distribution of one kg rice for Re.1 through public distribution system and concentrated on providing an impetus to women self-help group movement in order to make women self-reliant and self-confident.

Stating that improving the socio-economic status of the downtrodden and minorities had always remained the main objective of the previous and present Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam governments, Mr. Stalin outlined various schemes such as setting up of rehabilitation homes for leprosy-affected persons in 10 districts during the period from 1971 to 1974, introduction of cyclerickshaws to wipe out hand-pulled rickshaws implemented in the past and introduction and implementation of schemes such as distribution of rice at heavily subsidised rate, free LPG distribution, free house-site patta distribution and waiver of farm loans to the tune of Rs.7,000 crore during the current regime. “All these schemes are being implemented by the DMK government to help improve your socio-economic status and the people could make best use of them,” he said.

Later, Mr. Stalin distributed Rs. 81.55 core to beneficiaries under various schemes and declared open new buildings and drinking water supply projects implemented at a cost of Rs.58.23 crore.

Social Welfare Minister P. Geetha Jeevan said that rehabilitation homes were being run by the department in 10 districts — Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Erode, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Madurai — in the State for the benefit of leprosy-affected people. The State government spends around Rs.19 lakh under various schemes every month to provide financial assistance to handicapped persons, she added. Labour Welfare Minister T.M. Anbarasan said that training was imparted to the inmates of leprosy rehabilitation homes in order to help them earn livelihood.

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