Government assistance gives golden break to poor

Ariyalur: The marriage assistance and Thalikku Thangam scheme of the state government is playing a more important role, compared to any other social security scheme among the poor and downtrodden, especially families with marriageable girls. Ms T. Poongothai of Ariyalur, a woman who lost her husband four years ago, managed to provide higher secondary education to her daughter and performed her wedding by availing of a loan from her close relatives and friends.

When, within a short span of time, they pressed her to repay their loan, she came to know through her neighbours about the Tamil Nadu government’s marriage assistance and Thalikku Thangam scheme for daughters of widows. She approached the Ariyalur district administration which sanctioned Rs 25,000 and a half-sovereign gold coin under the scheme. She thanked Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for extending such a useful social security scheme to people like her.

Ms S. Soosaimary of Varadharajanpettai, in Ariyalur district, shared a similar experience.Also a labourer, she settled the loan obtained for her graduate daughter Vinnarasi’s marriage recently, thanks to the Tamil Nadu government’s marriage assistance and Thalikku Thangam scheme. She said soon after the wedding of her daughter, she approached the district social welfare department which sanctioned Rs50,000 and a half-sovereign gold coin within a short period. She repaid the loan and handed over the gold coin to her daughter.

Ariyalur collector A. Saravanavelraj said from the financial year 2011-12 to 2014-15, 7,394 beneficiaries, including 2,281 graduate girls, were totally sanctioned Rs24.18 crore and 29,576 gm of gold distributed under the marriage assistance and Thalikku Thangam scheme.