Welfare schemes help women hold heads high, says Udhayanidhi

MADURAI: State Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday launched an ambitious Self-Help Group ‘Bank Credit Linkage Programme’ at an event in the city.

The statewide scheme envisages financial assistance of Rs 2,874.26 crore to 3,74,277 beneficiaries of 31,220 women SHGs across the State through Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women Limited.

The minister also handed over patta to 12,233 beneficiaries as part of the government welfare schemes. On the whole Rs 298 crore worth of welfare schemes benefiting over 25,000 people were officially launched on stage in Madurai.

Udhayanidhi listed various welfare schemes including free bus travel for women, the Pudhumai Penn scheme and Mahalir Thittam launched by the DMK government that has encouraged the women in the State to hold their heads high and be proud. He said he was proud that Tamil Nadu has been a pioneering state in female workforce participation, accounting for 42 per cent of the workers. “The Dravidian model of governance made it possible,” he said.

More importantly, Tamil Nadu remains on top among other states in higher education, he said. “Tamil Nadu has the best education system in India,” he said. Some of them are envious of these achievements, that’s why they are hitting out at our government, he claimed. The government would ignore such envious criticism and move forward, he said..

Chief Minister MK Stalin’s dream scheme to help students abroad is one of the next pioneering projects of the state, Udhayanidhi said. “The scheme will help students by covering travel expenses to motivate students to avail higher studies abroad,” he added.

Even though CM Stalin’s presence in the US has been an overwhelmingly positive one so far with the potential to attract investments in Tamil Nadu, all of his thoughts are about Tamil Nadu and this ongoing programme in Madurai, the DMK scion said.

Recalling the contributions of late Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, Udhayanidhi said that landmark schemes such as Uzhavar Sandhai and Samathuvapuram were launched during his golden rule.

Kalaignar Memorial Library in Maduraim, Jallikattu at Alanganallur stand as testimony for the DMK government’s achievements, the sports minister said.

Earlier, Udhayanidhi inaugurated 'Kalaignar Library' at SS Colony and Othakadai. He also inspected the Government Rajaji Hospital and Mattuthavani bus stand.

P Moorthy, Commercial Taxes Minister, PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Information Technology Minister, S Divyadharshini, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women and others were present at the occasion.