TN credits special grant of ₹2,000 each to 37.79 lakh old age pension beneficiaries, destitutes, PwD

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday credited a sum of ₹2,000 as “special grant” to each of the elderly citizens who receive Old Age Pension and each of the destitutes, transpersons and persons with disabilities, who receive monthly grants, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced. The special grant has been credited into the bank accounts of these beneficiaries along with the monthly aid for  March, he said.

The development comes when Tamil Nadu is set face Assembly elections soon.

Terming this as a “special grant for the marginalised”, Mr. Stalin said the government received representations that a similar grant given last month for beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai should be extended to these sections too. “We have fulfilled the requests they placed with a hope. We have credited a special grant of ₹2,000 along with the monthly grant for March so as to remove their indigent conditions,” he said.

About 29.29 lakh beneficiaries who received grant from various social security programmes, have been credited a sum of ₹3,200 each, while about 5.92 lakh persons with disabilities, have been credited a sum of ₹3,500 each, Mr. Stalin said. Over 2.58 lakh persons with disabilities, who receive a maintenance allowance, have been credited a sum of ₹4,000 each, he said.

The Chief Minister also said the special relief assistance for the fishing ban season for about 1.62 lakh fishermen families of ₹8,000 each was being provided cumulatively for the months of April, May and June.

Mr. Stalin also said a total sum of ₹8.53 crore was being provided as minimum support price for tea to benefit a total of 14,870 tea farmers in the Nilgiris district over the procurement of tea from 15 cooperative tea factories. “Let me assert one thing now. We will never let even a single person behind in Tamil Nadu’s development journey.”