Govt to set up welfare boards for fishermen, disabled

Chennai, Jan 20 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government will set up separate welfare boards for fishermen, domestic workers and for the disabled, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala told the State Assembly today.

Delivering the customary address to the House, he said the Fishermen Welfare Board, to be set up on the lines of the Welfare Board for Agriculture, would provide social security to the fishermen and extend all assistance to them.

He said the Government, which had recently constituted a separate welfare board for the village temple priests, has decided to set up a separate board for domestic workers.

The domestic workers at present do not have even a modicum of social security. About 11 welfare boards have started functioning so far and various benefits amounting to Rs 19.77 crore have been provided to 84,116 un-organised labourers during this year.

He said the government was making all efforts to provide adequate educational and employment opportunities to the disabled to enable them lead a life of self-reliance. ''A separate welfare board for the disabled would be established to provide social security for them,'' he added.

The government would also form 10,000 Youth Self Help Groups to create suitable employment opportunities and better the lives of the unemployed youth.

About 3500 Youth SHGs have been formed so far and Industrial training was being imparted to the youth in collaboration with Industries to create suitable employment opportunities for them.

He said the Government would strive for the development of the most disadvantaged sections of the society like the poor, downtrodden and differently abled through the ''Vaazhndhu Kattuvom'' project.

This project at an estimated cost of Rs 717 crore, was being implemented in 15 blocks in 15 districts in the first phase and would be implemented in 70 blocks in the next 12 months.

UNI