Subsidised condiments scheme launched in TN

Chennai, Oct 3 (UNI) A day after Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launched the ''Subsidised Condiments'' distribution scheme in the city, his Ministerial colleagues and Union Ministers extended it throughout Tamil Nadu today.

Mr M Karunanidhi had launched the scheme at a simple function in the state Secretariat yesterday to help the poor buy ten items of condiments at a subsidised rate of Rs 50 from ration shops in the state on their ration card from today.

The government came out with the scheme on 'Gandhi Jayanthi', close on the heels of launching the 'Rupee a kg rice' scheme on September 15 on the occasion of the birth centenary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai.

Senior ministers, including K Anbazhagan, Arcot N Veerasamy and M K Stalin launched the scheme in their Assembly constituencies in the city.

Union Ministers, T R Baalu, A Raja, S Regupathy, S S Palanimanickam and Ms Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan launched the scheme in other district headquarters.

After the state government announced the 'Rupee a kg rice scheme', Opposition leaders led by AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa criticised the government, saying people could not survive by eating rice alone as prices of other commodities, especially grocery items had skyrocketed.

This prompted the state government to launch the new scheme of providing grocery items at a subsidised price.

Speaking after launching the scheme in Thousand Lights, Mr Stalin said by launching the scheme, the first of its kind in the country, Mr Karunanidhi has given a befitting reply to Ms Jayalalithaa.

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