Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today inaugurated a scheme to provide free food to unorganised construction workers. As per the scheme, these workers will be given food free of cost at the government-run Amma Canteens. Also, the Chief Minister today inaugurated distribution of Rs 2,000 to families below poverty line. He also inaugurated a scheme for newborn babies.
Announcing the Rs 2,000 per family scheme in the State Assembly during the budget session earlier this year, Palaniswami said the money was being given on the grounds that poor people in several districts have been affected by Cyclone Gaja and drought-like situation following the failure of monsoon. The measure would cost the State exchequer Rs 1,200 crore and the money would be allocated in the supplementary estimates for the year 2018-19. In all, 35 lakh BPL families in rural areas and 25 lakh BPL families in urban areas will benefit from this assistance.
Recently, EPS completed two years as the CM. Palaniswami became the Chief Minister in February 2017, after the Supreme Court convicted the then AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, a close aide of Jayalalithaa, in a disproportionate assets case. Since then, despite facing so many hurdles and troubles, Palaniswami is ruling the State. According to his supporters, some of his achievements include plastic ban which was implemented on January 1, 2019 and the way he handled the recent strike of government employees and teachers.
