TN Govt to implement Anna's pet scheme

Chennai, Aug 30 (UNI) The ruling DMK today announced ''a rupee a measure scheme (rice at Rupee one per kg),'' a pet scheme of late Chief Minister C N Annadurai that helped the party to catapult to power in Tamil Nadu for the first time in 1967.

Talking to newspersons after district secretaries meeting here, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said the meeting, in a resolution, appealed to the government to implement the scheme.

He said the state Cabinet would meet this evening and take a decision on the scheme.

Mr Karunanidhi said the subsidised scheme would benefit all the 1.86 crore card holders in Tamil Nadu and would cost an additional Rs 400 crore to the state Exchequer.

The resolution said the DMK Government would feel honoured to implement the scheme, in memory of late leader Anna, on the occasion of his centenary celebrations, commencing from September 15.

The scheme announced by Anna as a poll promise before the 1967 Assembly elections, could not be implemented after the DMK swept to power due to paucity of funds.

It would be a fitting tribute to Anna, if the scheme was launched commemorating Anna's birth anniversary on September 15, the resolution said.

Mr Karunanidhi said the government was providing rice at Rs two per kg for card holders in rations shops and after the cabinet's nod, would be sold at Re one per kg from September 15 in ration shops throughout the state.

UNI WS SJ SY RN1546