Kalaignar sports kit scheme in urban areas too, assures Udhayanidhi

COIMBATORE: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said the Kalaignar Sports Kit scheme will be extended to urban areas, taking part in an event in Salem on Sunday.

“The Kalaignar Sports Kit scheme now implemented only in villages will soon be extended in urban areas after getting the consent of the Chief Minister,” he said while participating in a function to distribute the sports kits to beneficiaries from 707 panchayats in Salem and Namakkal districts.

The Kalaignar Sports Kit scheme was launched in February to provide kits to beneficiaries from 12,525 panchayats in the State at a cost of Rs 86 crore.

“So far, the kits were given in 26 districts. Last year six lakh people took part in the Chief Minister’s Trophy sports event and 11 lakh people participated this year. Salem district climbed up from 19th spot last year to third this year, while Namakkal moved to ninth spot this year from 13th last year,” the Dy CM said.

Claiming that the ‘Dravidian model’ of government remains a golden period for women, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the women's self-help groups (SHG) were dispersed with a loan of Rs 96,000 crore in the last three years.

“Under the ‘Vidiyal Payanam’ scheme, 530 crore women have travelled in buses. The Rs 1,000 given under 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam' will soon be given to all eligible women,” he said.

Further, Udhayanidhi said soon 100 players would get government jobs under the three per cent reservation. In Salem, a hostel at a cost of Rs 7 crore to accommodate 60 sportspersons will be built, he said.

He also distributed welfare assistance of 33.26 crore to 3,583 beneficiaries and gave away a loan amount of Rs 23 crore to 202 SHGs. Paralympics medal winners Mariyappan Thangavelu and Thulasimathi Murugesan, besides Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister M Mathiventhan, participated in the event.