CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate the door-to-door delivery of essential commodities — such as rice, sugar, wheat, palmolein oil, and toor dal — under the Public Distribution System (PDS) for senior citizens above 70 years of age and persons with disabilities across Tamil Nadu, starting August 12.
The initiative has been named as the Chief Minister’s Thayumanavar Scheme. TNIE was the first to report the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to implement this initiative statewide on June 17, this year.
Out of the state’s 2.26 crore ration cards, which cover a population of 7 crore, a total of 21.7 lakh beneficiaries registered under 16.73 lakh ration cards will be covered under the CM’s Thayumanavar scheme. This includes 15.81 lakh family ration cards with one or more elderly members, benefiting 20.42 lakh people. Additionally, 1.27 lakh people enrolled under 91,969 ration cards — where one or more members are disabled — will also be included.
According to sources, staff from the co-operation department, attached to the respective ration shops, will carry out deliveries on the second Saturday and Sunday of every month. Items will be transported using mini-vans and other vehicles, equipped with point-of-sale (PoS) machines and weighing scales. “After completing Aadhaar authentication, staff will hand over the entitled goods to the beneficiaries at their doorstep,” stated an official communication from the state government.
The scheme specifically targets ration cards where all members are above 70 years of age with no member over 18, and cards where all members are disabled or only one member is disabled, with no other adult member aged 18 or above.
HC stays ‘election’ of office-bearers of MTC union
Chennai: The Madras High Court has stayed the elections stated to have been conducted to elect the office-bearers of the Metro Transport Corporation Labour Progressive Union, affiliated to the DMK’s Labour Progressive Federation (LPF). Justice K Kumaresh Babu passed the interim order based on the petitions filed by 59 employees attached to the union alleging the election of the president, secretary, and treasurer of the organisation was illegal and not held as per the bylaws. He also injuncted the office-bearers from discharging duties in the said capacities and adjourned the hearing to August 21 for final hearing.