Nearly four and half years after making a promise to the electorate, the ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC) Government last week launched the scheme of free mixers and grinders for the beneficiaries.
Over 3.37 lakh families will get each mixer worth Rs.1,056 and table-top wet grinder worth Rs.2,142.
The Chief Minister N.Rangasamy formally handed out mixers and grinders to some women beneficiaries.
He said his government has been determined to execute all promises made at the time of elections or later on the floor of the Legislative Assembly even though there were criticism over the feasibility when the government announced the scheme of free distribution of mixers and grinders on the floor of Assembly.
Mr. Rangasamy said, “Some asked whether the scheme of free mixers and grinders would be feasible or implementable since the government has been facing acute financial crisis. We have disproved the sceptics by successfully launching the scheme.”
Cost of Rs.120 crore
The Chief Minister said the scheme is being implemented at the cost of Rs.120 crore. Over three lakh persons would be benefitted from the scheme. The mixers and grinders will be distributed to the beneficiaries at constituency wise in phased manner until December.
Three hundred beneficiaries in three constituencies- Kamaraj Nagar, Thattanchavadi and Ariyankuppam received the products on Friday. The government decided to implement the scheme to the family ration card holders through Social Welfare Department, Adi-Dravidar Welfare Department, Women and Child Development Department and Labour Department.
The Pondicherry Co-operative Wholesale Stores procures the mixers and grinders from the supplier(s) finalised by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Keeping yet another promise made in the Assembly, the Chief Minister inaugurated a new Directorate for the Welfare of Backward Classes and Minorities in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Focus on backward clases
Mr. Rangasamy said the department has been created to ensure better implementation of welfare programmes and to provide a special focus on issues relating to Backward Classes and Minorities. So far Rs.21 crore has been earmarked for it, he added.
Chief Secretary Manoj Parida said real poor people would be benefited from the schemes. Calling the Chief Minister as messiah of poor, Mr. Parida said, “It is our duty to help Chief Minister and the cabinet and the government. We the entire bureaucracy will join the hands to ensure that every person and every citizen gets the fruits of development.”
Speaker V.Sabapathy, Ministers, elected representatives and officials participated in the function.
