Chennai: True freedom is economic freedom and the state government is taking various measures towards achieving that objective, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said after unfurling the tricolour at Fort St George here on Independence Day.
Thanking the public for giving her the opportunity to serve the state, she said her government was taking all steps for the overall development of Tamil Nadu by focusing on key sectors, particularly education and health. Education plays a crucial role in building the growth of an individual, society and is also related to economic growth.
Tamil Nadu is now ranked first among other states, when it comes to higher education admissions and to achieve this, the state had implemented schemes like free laptops, provision of free nutritious mid day meals and infrastructure, she said. “In the past five years, 62 new colleges and information technology institutions and National Law School had been set up. It is for these reasons that Tamil Nadu has registered a 44.8 per cent rise in increase in higher education admissions”, she said.
On the health sector, Tamil Nadu is now a model state due to several measures, including Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme and maternity benefit schemes. To boost economic growth, adequate electricity, infrastructure and easy processing for industries are being provided.
Besides big factories, there had been an increase in the number of micro, small and medium enterprises in the state, she said. On food security, the state had attained an all time record of producing 130 lakh tonne foodgrains in 2015, she said.
Hike in freedom fighters’ pension
The Chief Minister also announced a Rs 1,000 increase in freedom fighters pension from Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 and family pension to legal heirs from Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000. She also announced that special pension to descendants of freedom fighters would be increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.
