CHENNAI: As the state readies for poll in the next few weeks, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday made five key announcements in the Assembly, including plan to build one lakh houses at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore under the Kalaignar housing scheme and hike in pension and retirement benefits for noon-meal organisers, anganwadi workers, and panchayat secretaries.
Making the announcements while replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, the CM also said that 2,200km of rural roads will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 1,088 crore, monthly social security pensions will be extended to 1.8 lakh more beneficiaries, and preferential weightage will be given to part-time teachers in recruitment for permanent posts. Under the CM’s rural road development programme, 20,484km of rural roads have already been upgraded at a cost of Rs 8,911 crore, Stalin pointed out.
The CM said that through various social security schemes, over 33.6 lakh beneficiaries already receive monthly pensions. Soon, 1.8 lakh more beneficiaries will be covered under these schemes based on applications received under the Ungaludan Stalin scheme, he said. Events to mark the inclusion of these new beneficiaries will be held across TN on February 4, the CM said.
Monthly pension for noon-meal organisers, anganwadi workers and village panchayat secretaries will be hiked from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,400, he said.
Lived every single day for people of TN after assuming office, says Stalin
The lump sum amount payable on their retirement will also be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, Stalin announced. Also, the special pension for mini-anganwadi workers and forest field staff will be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,200, and their retirement lump sum will also be enhanced to Rs 2 lakh.
For anganwadi helpers, cooks, cooking assistants and sanitation workers, the special pension will be raised from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, and the retirement lump sum will be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, he added.
In the event of death of noon-meal organisers, anganwadi workers, and village panchayat secretaries receiving special pensions, their families will be provided a monthly family pension of Rs 1,200. Similarly, the families of mini-anganwadi workers, forest field staff and other special time-scale employees will receive a family pension of Rs 1,100, while the families of anganwadi helpers, cooks, cooking assistants and sanitation workers will receive Rs 1,000 as family pension.
In the event of the demise of any of the above special pension beneficiaries, Rs 20,000 will be provided towards funeral expenses, Stalin said. These announcements will benefit both current special time-scale employees and over 1.5 lakh pensioners who have retired, along with their family members, he added.
Stating that part-time teachers in government schools, who have been protesting for various demands, have already been granted pay hikes and wages for the May vacation, the CM announced that part-time teachers will be given service-based weightage in recruitment exams for appointment to vacant permanent posts. Orders for this will be issued shortly, he said.
“Today (January 24) marks 1,724 days since this government assumed office. In these 1,724 days, I have participated in 8,685 programmes, signed 15,117 files, and travelled 173 times to districts outside Chennai. I have distributed welfare aid to over 44.44 lakh beneficiaries,” the CM said and added that he lived every single day for the people during these days.