The State government, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, has signed 42 memoranda of understanding (MOU), involving an investment of ₹ 31,464 crore with a potential to generate 69,712 jobs, according to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Inaugurating the 9th video-conference with District Collectors (since March 26), which was being held as part of the government’s consultation process on lockdown that had been imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Chief Minister said that his government had set apart ₹200 crore under the COVID 19 Relief & Upliftment Scheme (CORUS) to mitigate hardship of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).
The State had obtained sanctions for around ₹ 7,518 crore under the Central government’s loan scheme for industrial units as a result of his (Chief Minister’s) holding State-level bankers’ committee meetings and call for immediate disbursal of loans to the industry. “At the all India-level, Tamil Nadu has emerged as the top State [in this regard],” Mr Palaniswami pointed out.
During April-August, about 1.53 lakh self help groups (SHGs) were given loans to the tune of ₹ 5,934 crore. Of this, around ₹ 720 crore was provided to those SHGs whose livelihood sources were hit during the pandemic. The amount was meant for improving their economic status and increasing their income.
Thanks to various welfare schemes, in the last two months, the problem of unemployment “went down” by one-sixth and the personal income was “gradually” on the rise. “Studies show that the State is on rapidly coming out of ill effects of the pandemic,” the Chief Minister said.
As for the free distribution of reusable masks, the administration had distributed 46 lakh masks in Chennai and 72.56 lakh masks in the rest of the State. Till date, the State’s figure of recovery rate was 85.45% with 3,49,682 persons having been cured of the disease, which was the “highest” in the country. The case mortality rate was 1.7%, which was the “lowest” in the country.
The State government had, till now, allocated over ₹ 7,162 crore towards measures aimed at containment of the spread of the disease, treatment and relief.
