THANJAVUR: The hostels for school students with fewer takers across the state are being converted into hostels for college students, said Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj.
The minister was talking to reporters after inspecting the construction of a new hostel for college students being built at a cost of Rs 1.26 crore at the campus of Kunthavai Naacchiyaar Government Arts College for Women. The hostel, which is being built due to a rise in demand, has a capacity to accommodate about 50 students.
On the maintenance of the hostels, the minister said repair works on about 336 hostels across the state were taken up with the Rs 25-crore fund allocated by CM MK Stalin. She pointed out that the yearly maintenance grant for each hostel has been increased to Rs 50,000.
The demands for more toilet blocks, compounds and additional rooms for existing hostels are also taken into consideration, the minister said. On complaints about the quality of food, the minister said action would be taken if the plaints were found valid.
On the subsidy for SC, ST farmers to get agriculture electricity connections under the Tatkal scheme, the minister said during the first year 827 farmers benefitted and in the second year subsidy for 1,000 farmers have already been released.
Thanjavur MLA T K G Neelamegam, District Collector Deepak Jacob, Mayor S Ramanathan and Deputy Mayor Dr Anjugam Boopathy were present.