3rd phase of free CTV distribution on Feb 16

Chennai, Feb 6 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi would launch the third phase of distribution of free colour Television sets and gas stoves on February 16 at Vellore.

In the third phase, the government has decided to distribute 34.25 lakh colour television sets at a total cost of Rs 750 crore and Mr Karunanidhi would launch part of the distribution of 10.53 lakh sets on that day.

The Chief Minister would launch distribution of free gas stoves with gas connections to 5.83 lakh poor families, an official release here said.

After the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues would distribute free television sets and gas stoves to eligible households on Februray 17, the release said.

As announced in the election manifesto, the DMK government had launched the distribution of colour television sets on September 15, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai.

In the first phase, 30,000 sets were distributed at a cost of Rs nine crore and in the second phase, launched in Februry last year, 25 lakh sets were distributed at a cost of Rs 685 crore, the release said.

Similarly, the Chief Minister launched free gas stoves with gas connection distribution scheme on the occasion of Pongal festival in January last year and in the first phase, distributed stoves to three lakh families, involving a cost of Rs 60 crore. In the second phase, eight lakh families were given stoves with gas connections at a cost of Rs 160 crore, the release added.

UNI WS KVV VD HT2128