1500 mentally ill persons get assistance

Transport Minister K.N. Nehru handing over the sanction orders for the monthly government assistance to mentally ill children in Tiruchi on Thursday. Collector T. Soundiah, second from right, and Corporation Commissioner T.T. Balsamy. extreme right, are also in the picture. Photo: By special arrangement

About 1,500 more mentally retarded persons of Tiruchi district would get the monthly assistance of Rs.500 from the government with retrospective effect from April 1, 2009.

Already 900 mentally retarded persons, including 67 children/persons with muscular dystrophy, were already receiving the assistance. The government had now sanctioned the assistance to 1,500 persons. The assistance would be sent directly to the beneficiaries by money-orders. Transport Minister K. N. Nehru handed over the sanction orders to 10 mentally retarded persons on Thursday in the presence of Collector T. Soundiah, Corporation Commissioner T. T. Balsamy, Superintendent of Police A. Kaliyamurthy, and District Disabled Rehabilitation Officer R. Shyamala.