Free dhoti, saree scheme launched: Edappadi K Palaniswami

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday launched the free dhoti and saree scheme in view of the Pongal festival 2019, which would benefit 1.56 crore beneficiaries in the state. As a token, Palaniswami handed over dhotis and sarees to five families at the secretariat. An official press release said that the freebies would be distributed at a cost of '484.25 crore to the public, through the respective Public Distribution System (PDS) outlets.

The scheme would serve purpose to two groups. On the one hand, the poor would benefit, and on the other, weavers' would earn their share since the government always procured dhotis and sarees from weavers, to support their livelihood.

The release noted that the scheme was first introduced in 1983 by the then Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, aimed to help the poor and the under-privileged.
During the meeting, handloom minister O.S Manian, revenue minister R.B Udhayakumar, and other top government officials were present. The government is distributing sarees and dhotis for Pongal that is usually celebrated either on January 14 or 15.

New classrooms, buildings inaugurated
In addition to the freebies, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday also inaugurated additional classrooms, laboratories and other buildings of a government arts college at Ariyalur, built at a cost of Rs 4.23 crore through video-conferencing, from the secretariat.

Additional government college and university buildings constructed at a cost of Rs 21.55 crore were inaugurated in Coimbatore, Karur, Dharmapuri, Tiruvanamalai, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Namakkal, Madurai, Cuddalore and Tirupur districts.

Building better infrastructure has raised the percentage of admission of students to 48.6 percent. To develop infrastructure of government arts colleges and universities, the Chief Minister inaugurated through video-conferencing 15 classrooms, one English research laboratory, four laboratory galleries and rest rooms at a cost of Rs 4.23 crore, at the Ariyalur Government Arts College.

The chief minister also inaugurated additional buildings like human genetic centers and biological labs at the Bharathiar university, Coimbatore. In addition, nine golden jubilee classrooms were thrown open at the Karur government arts college at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore.

As many as 10 classrooms were opened at the Kaarimangalam Girls' Arts and Science College, Dharmapuri district, at a cost of Rs 1.65 crore, and another five classrooms and laboratory at a cost of Rs 1.37 crore were opened in Seiyaar Aringar Anna Govt Arts College, Thiruvannaamalai district.

Job orders to 131 AEs in PWD
The chief minister also handed over appointment orders to 131 assistant engineers (PWD), who were selected through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). As a token, he personally gave job orders to seven candidates.

“Buildings for public service departments in government offices, memorials, court buildings construction and maintenance of public buildings in government medical colleges and hospitals, schools and government buildings were undertaken,” said an official press release.

The Water Resources Department (WRD) under the Public Works Department needed 91 assistant engineers (civil) in the building system, and 40 assistant engineers (EEE).