CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday unfurled the Tricolour on the ramparts of Fort St George on the occasion of 70th Independence day and presented many awards and announced that the pension for freedom fighters and their legal heirs would be hiked.
While P Shanmugam, Principal Scientist, Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai received the APJ Abdul Kalam award, P. Jayanthi of Namakkal district received the Kalpana Chawla award.
Delivering her Independence Day address, the Chief Minister announced that the pension for freedom fighters would be increased from Rs.11,000 to Rs.12,000 while the pension for the legal heirs of freedom fighters would be increased from Rs.5,500 to Rs.6,000.
Recalling the contributions of number of freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister said keeping the ideal of poet Subramaniya Bharathi, the government headed by her had been taking steps aimed at overall growth of the State. Giving a long list of welfare measures being implemented by her government, she said.
After delivering her speech, the Chief Minister drove past the enclosures of invitees and the general public and exchanged I Day greetings. She also distributed sweet packets to the differently abled children. She greeted the children individually and shook hands with them. The children exchanged Independence day greetings. Sweets have been distributed to over 1,000 differently abled studying in many institutions.
Meanwhile, to promote social unity among various sections of the society, the State government has arranged for public feast at many temples under the HR and CE Department across Tamil Nadu on Independence day. In Chennai, feast was organised in temples including at Sri Kapaleeswarar temple (Mylapore), Sri Maruntheeswarar temple(Thiruvanmiyur), Sri Kalikambal temple (Parrys Corner), Sri Vadapalani Andavar temple, Sri Mundakakkanni Amman Koil and Sri Madhava Perumal Koil (Mylapore). Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal and all State Ministers will take part in these feasts.