Nobel laureate and a member of the Chief Minister's Economic Advisory Committee Esther Duflo called on Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Chennai on Tuesday.
During the meeting, she underlined the need for ensuring social security cover for vulnerable sections of society, especially the senior citizens, who are living alone, an official release said. She further said a survey would be undertaken over the next eight years to identify the challenges that the poor, downtrodden and the elderly population face, so as to formulate suitable policies, it said.
Ms. Duflo also commended the Tamil Nadu government over its emphasis on data-driven policy decisions, for increasing the social security cover for the elderly and the differently-abled population.
She also placed her appreciation for implementing the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme, which provides quality healthcare to beneficiaries at their doorsteps. The Chief Minister also assured the State government's complete support for initiatives that are data-driven, it said.
Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, senior officials and representatives from J-PAL were also present.
