The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday made six major announcements, including the construction of a 500-bed multi-superspeciality hospital at Guindy and free city bus travel for transpersons and the differently abled.
The announcements coincided with former Chief Minister and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary.
An official release said a state-of-the-art library would be built in Madurai at a cost of ₹70 crore in memory of Karunanidhi. ‘Ilakkiya Mamani Virudhu’ will be instituted for Tamil literary figures on a par with Kalaimamani awards. Free houses will be given to the recipients of Jnanpith, Sahitya Akademi and other national and State awards.
Warehouses will be established at a cost of ₹30 crore in Tiruvarur.
The ₹250 crore hospital will come up on the campus of the King Institute. The state-of-the-art library, to be built over 2 lakh sq ft, is meant to benefit the people of southern districts. It will be similar to the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai, which has been serving the people of northern districts.
Transpersons and the differently abled can travel free on town buses, in a measure similar to the benefit announced for women last month. “This order will come into force after the lockdown is lifted,” the release said. The ‘Ilakkiya Mamani Virudhu’, comprising a cash prize of ₹5 lakh and a citation, will be presented to three writers every year.
Under the dream house scheme, a house will be given free to scholars who are natives of Tamil Nadu and have won important awards. The house will be in their native district or in any district of their choice.
The government will construct a 16,000-tonne storage unit at a cost of ₹24.3 crore in Tiruvarur, besides 54 drying units and solar dryers costing ₹6.2 crore.
