Chennai: Realising his long cherished dream, for the first time Tamilnadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday unfurled the National Flag on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day and
announced hike in pension for freedom fighters.
Delivering his maiden Independence Day address from the on the ramparts of Fort St George, he said the freedom fighters pension will be hiked from Rs 17,000 to Rs 18,000 per month.
He also announced that the family pension for freedom fighters will be increased from Rs 8,500 to Rs 9,000.
Stalin also announced that Mahatma Gandhi Museum in Madurai will be renovated at an outlay of Rs six crore.
Thanking the people of the State for giving him the opportunity to hoist the National flag, Stalin pointed put that it was former Chief Minister and late leader M Karunanidhi who had secured the right for Chief Ministers to hoist the tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day, with the Governor unfurling the national flag on the Republic Day.
Recalling the strong link the Father of the Nation had with Tamils and Tamilnadu, he said Tamils in large numbers participated in the protests held by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa.
Pointing out that Mahatma Gandhi had visited Tamilnadu 20 times and during his visit to Madurai in 1921 had taken the decision of not to wear shirt and the cap, he said that momentous decison marked the centenary.
After taking the salute and inspecting a guard of honours, the Chief Minister after delviering his speech, presented the Thagaisal Tamizhar award to veteran Communist leader and centenarian N Sankariah.
Considering his old age, Stalin went to his residence and presented the award, which also carried a citation and a cheque for Rs ten lakh.
The Communist leader donated the entire amount to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund towards Covid relief.
He also presented the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award to Dr M Lakshmanan, Professor of Eminence, Department of Non-linear Dynamics, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University Tiruchirappalli.
The Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise was given posthumously to Dr P Shanmuga Priya, Medical Officer, Annuppanadi Primary Health Centre, Madurai for her exemplary service and sacrificing her life during the second wave of Covid pandemic.
During the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, she attended 582 fever surveillance camps, monitored the progress of 10,961 persons through which 302 active cases were identified. She personally treated and monitored 52 Covid-19 patients who were in quarantine.
Later, she tested positive for Covid-19 and succumbed to the virus despite the best medical care, the government said.
As the day coincided completion of first 100 days of his government, Stalin highlighted various schemes launched by the DMK regime and the efforts taken by it to control the spread of corona pandemic and the vaccination drive.