CHENNAI: Hoisting the national flag on the ramparts of Fort St George in Chennai, marking the 78th Independence Day, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced the state’s plan to launch pharmacy outlets, named ‘Mudhalvar Marunthagam’ (CM’s Pharmacy), on next Pongal day (January 14) to ensure availability of generic and other medicines at low cost to the people. A total of 1,000 such pharmacies will be opened in the first phase.
To ensure effective implementation of the scheme, the government will provide loan assistance and grants-in-aid of Rs 3 lakh to pharmacists and co-operative societies, he said. Stalin also announced Mudhalvarin Kakkum Karangal (CM’s Protective Hands), a scheme that will help ex-servicemen get loans up to Rs 1 crore from banks to start businesses and is expected to benefit 400 ex-servicemen in the state.
In his Independence Day address, the CM said the poor who approach government hospitals are being provided excellent treatment and quality medicines but middle-class families getting treated in private hospitals are being forced to pay high price for medicines.
CM hikes pension for freedom fighters from Rs 20k to Rs 21,000
“They incur high expenses as they have to buy medicines regularly for diseases like diabetes and blood pressure. As a solution, generic drugs and other drugs would be made available to them at lower price through the CM Pharmacies,” he said.
Under Mudhalvarin Kakkum Karangal scheme, 30% of the loan amount will be provided as capital subsidy and 3% as interest subsidy. The state government will also provide skill and entrepreneurship development training to the ex-service men.
Kin of soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice while performing their duty are also eligible for the scheme. In the next two years, Rs 120 crore capital subsidy and 3% interest subsidy will be provided for Rs 400 crore worth projects, the CM said.
Stalin also said that the monthly pension for freedom fighters would be hiked from Rs 20,000 to Rs 21,000 and the pension for families of martyrs of freedom movement would be increased from Rs 11,000 to Rs 11,500 per month. The special pension for the descendants of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Maruthu Brothers, Ramanathapuram King Muthuramalinga Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, and V O Chidambaranar would be hiked from Rs 10,000 to Rs 10,500, he said.
The CM also said that against the backdrop of the recent landslides in Wayanad in Kerala, the state disaster management department will carry out a comprehensive study in the hilly regions of the state on natural calamities that may occur during heavy rain.
A comprehensive scientific study will be carried out by a multidisciplinary team comprising the Forest Department, Department of Geosciences, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Environment. The committee will make recommendations on measures to be taken to avoid, mitigate and reduce risks on a long-term basis, following which appropriate actions will be taken by the state government, the CM said.