Chennai: Aiming to effectively monitor the implementation of government’s free marriage assistance scheme and girl child protection scheme, as well, the State government has proposed to equip the field officials of the social welfare department with tablets, Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme Minister Dr. V. Saroja has said.
Winding up the debate on the demand for grants for her department in the Assembly on Wednesday, the Minister said the tablets containing the software would be provided at a cost of Rs. 2.52 crore. “On an average two lakh persons benefit out of these schemes annually. In order to ensure speedy disposal and help the people benefit, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has with the blessings of Amma (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) ordered the provision of tablets to 1,074 social welfare extension officers and women rural welfare officers,” she said.
About 10,25,838 persons had benefited from five marriage assistance schemes of the Tamil Nadu government between 2011-12 and 2017-18, Dr. Saroja said. Also, she announced that about 1,132 Anganwadi centres across the State would be provided drinking water facilities at a cost of Rs. 1.13 crore. Making a slew of announcements the Minister said additionally two child welfare committees would be established for Chennai.
For the benefit of the school students who don’t eat eggs under the nutritious meal programme for school students, the Minister said, the government has approved to increase the allocation to purchase bananas, to be provided to such student beneficiaries. Accordingly, the expenditure per banana would be enhanced to Rs. 3.50 from the present Rs. 1.25, benefiting 12,946 students. Hygiene kits would be distributed to 43,205 nutritious meal centres at a cost of Rs. 1.73 crore.
