CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday handed over a cheque for Rs 3 crore to C Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, the hereditary trustee of 88 temples under the aegis of the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam, towards maintenance cost of the temples. An announcement regarding this was earlier made in the State Assembly.
The 88 temples under the Devasthanam include Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar temple, Airavateswarar temple in Darasuram, Mariamman temple in Punnainallur, and Thanjai Mamani Koil, which is one of the 108 Divya Desams for Vaishnavites. Most of these temples have low income and hence the government grant.
Literary souvenir
Stalin also released the Tamil literary souvenir 2023, published by the State Information Department’s Thamizharasu magazine, on Saturday.
The souvenir was released to mark the occasion of Pongal festival and numerous writers, intellectuals, poets and critics have contributed to the collection of write-ups. Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu received the first copy of the souvenir.
Meanwhile, at the secretariat, representatives of the cracker and matchbox manufacturing industries’ associations in Virudhunagar district called on the chief minister and handed over a cheque for Rs 5 crore towards the welfare board for those employed by the industry.