Chennai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today launched five welfare schemes and other measures to mark the 98th birth anniversary of his father and late DMK supremo M Karunanidhi.
The DMK is celebrating the birth anniversary of Karunanidhi with Mr Stalin at the helm of affairs of the State for the first time, when he guided his party-led alliance to victory in the 6 April Assembly polls, marking the return of the DMK to power after a gap of 10 years.
The day began with Stalin, accompanied by senior party leaders and his Cabinet colleages, paying tributes at the memorials of late leader C N Annadurai and Karunanidhi on the Marina beach front.
Stalin later garlanded the statue and paid floral tributes to a decorated portrait of Karunanidhi at the party organ Murasoli’s office in the city and at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam.
He later visited the Gopalapuram and CIT Colony residences of the late leader and paid tributes to a portrait of Karunanidhi.
Stalin also planted a sapling on the Marina beach front to mark the occasion and distributed welfare measures to the frontline workers involved in Covid pandemic. Later, at an official function held at the State Secretariat, Stalin launched the second phase distribution of Rs 2,000 of the total Rs 4,000 Covid financial assistance to all the rice ration cardholders in the State.
As promised in the DMK’s election manfesto, the Chief Minister launched the first instalment of the Covid assistance scheme by distributing Rs 2,000 last month benefitting 2.09 crore rice cardholders involving a total outlay of Rs 4196.38 crore.
Though the DMK had announced that it would be launched on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Karunanidhi, the DMK chief taking into account the livelihood of the people affected by the Covid pandemic and the lockdown, inaugurated the scheme in May itself.
And today, he launched the second instalment of distribution of Rs 2,000 to the cardholders for the benefit of 2.09 crore card holders at a cost of Rs 4196.38 crore.
Stalin also launched distribution of a cash assistance of Rs 4,000 and a package of ten kg rice and 15 grocery items valued at Rs 1,000 to about 14,000 temple priests and workers who did not have a guaranteed monthly salary.
He also launched a scheme to distribute Rs 25 lakh financial assistance to members of the judiciary and police personnel who had lost their lives due to Covid.
A scheme to distribute Rs 10 lakh financial aid to journalists who succumbed due to Covid-19, besides a kit containing 14 grocery items to all rice card holders, were also launched by Stalin today.
He also presented welare measures for the beneficiaries under the ‘Chief Minister in your constituency’ scheme to mark the occasion.
Citing the pandemic and the prevent the spread of coronavirus, Stalin urged the DMK cadres not to organise any public celebrations to mark Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary and celebrate the occasion from the confines of their homes.
‘Celebrate Kalaignar’s birthday by abiding with the Covid lockdown restrictions by paying floral tributes to his portrait at home’, the Chief Minister said and appealed to the party cadres to distribute food and essential supplies to the poor people at their doorstep.