Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a hike in pension for freedom fighters from Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 12,000 and further their family pension from Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 6,000. The special pension given to heirs of freedom fighters has also been hiked from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 6,000.
Hoisting the national flag on the occasion of the country's 70th Independence Day at Fort St. George here, Ms. Jayalalithaa said that the student enrolment in higher education institutions has increased to 44.8 per cent, the highest among States in the country.
The Chief Minister also gave away the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award to P. Shanmugam, Principal Scientist of Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, and Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise to Jayanthi of Namakkal District.
The Chief Minister's Best Practices Award was given to Mahamaham 2016 arrangements, Solid Waste Management in Rural Areas - 'Thuimai Kavalar' and Online Patta Transfer.
Under the Exemplary Service for the Welfare of the Differently Abled, D. Raja Kannan of Chennai (Best Doctor Award), M.P. Mohamed Rafi of Chennai (Best Social Worker), Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary School for the Deaf, Chennai (Best Institution), Annai J.K.K. Sampooraniammal Trust, Namakkal (Best Private Player), Salem District Central Cooperative Bank, Salem (Best District Cooperative Bank) received awards.
Kalaiselvi Karunalaya Social Welfare Society of Mogappair West (Best Institution), V. Muralidharan, founder of Sevalaya (Best Social Worker) received awards for the services rendered towards the welfare of women.
Under the Chief Minister's Award for the Best Performing Local Bodies, Dindigul won the Best Corporation Award. Pattukottai, Perambalur and Ramanathapuram won the first, second and third prizes respectively under the Best Municipalities categories. Velur, Chinnasalem and Periyanaickenpalayam received the first, second and third prizes under Best Town Panchayats.
K. Masha of Nagercoil, M. Aparna of Bethaniyapuram, P. Ruban of Chennai, M.C. Saravana Kumar of Sellur and J. Mohammad Rafeek were awarded the Chief Minister's State Youth Award.
Earlier, the Chief Minister was received by Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao before she took the salute of ceremonial guard of honour and the ceremonial parade.
Ministers of the Cabinet, Parliamentarians, Legislators, senior officers of the Armed Forces and members of the Consular Corps were among those present during the occasion.
