TN to provide cash of Rs 1,000, free ration to poor

Chennai, March 24 (IANS) Free supplies of ration, cash assistance of Rs 1,000 are some of the measures that have been announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Tuesday for the benefit of poor to tide over their livelihood problems owing to the lockdown of the state till March 31 to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

Announcing this in the Assembly, Palaniswami said the government will implement the welfare measures at an outlay of Rs 3,280 crore.

The welfare measures are:

*Cash assistance of Rs 1,000 for all those families with ration cards eligible to get rice;

*Free supply of rice, oil, sugar, lentils in April for all ration card holders. Those who do not want the free supply can opt out by logging on to the website;

*Ration card holders who missed buying in March and buy their quota in April;

*Free supply of 15 kg rice, 1 kg each of cooking oil and lentils for construction and unorganised sector workers from other states identified by the District Collector or welfare boards of the concerned unorganised sector;

*Continued supply of subsidised food at Amma Canteens;

*Setting up of kitchens for supply of food for destitutes across the state;

*Registered pavement vendors will be paid an additional Rs 1,000 as cash assistance in addition to the Rs 1,000 paid through public distribution system;

*Two days special wages for those who had worked under the MNREGA.

–IANS

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